Error with FamilySearch?

Question

Hi there,

I have been getting this error for over a month now, and wonder if anyone here has experienced it?

The error I get is:

Access Denied
Error 15
www.familysearch.org
2023-04-26 15:02:04 UTC
What happened?
This request was blocked by our security service
Your IP: (redacted)
Proxy IP: 107.154.244.233 (ID 10872-100)
Incident ID: 872000970491850726-1155766847483156557

What can I do to try to resolve?
There are several reasons this error may have occurred. The following may resolve the issue:
• Open your web browser in Incognito/Private mode or disable all extensions if you have Incognito mode set to continue running extensions.
• Use a mainstream browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.
• Disable VPN if you are using one.
Powered by
Imperva

1. Private/extensionless browsing. No go. I get the home page, but everything I do subsequently then reproduces the same error.

2. Use a mainstream browser. Already am - Firefox.

3. Disable VPN: Not applicable.

I went in and set my network connection setting to no proxy (why it wasn't on that in the first place is beyond me), but that had no effect.

I have tried clearing cookies and that yields the same result as if I'm on private mode. I.E. I get the home page, but every subsequent operation then generates the same error.

I've done some digging at my end and seems that the "Proxy IP" it talks about has nothing to do with me using a proxy but is in fact linked to Imperva's own infrastructure.

There seems to be no way to contact FamilySearch about this issue. Tried contacting Imperva with no response.

I have found forums where other people are having this issue, but that was back in late 2022 and it seems to have resolved naturally for them.

Has anyone here had this problem and if so, how have you resolved it?

Cheers.

Comments

Day, this would probably get more response if you asked in WikiTree Tech.

Family Search's discussion board is here: Family Search community discussion board

---

Hi Kathy,

I did ponder on putting this in Tech but figured that was only for WikiTree itself.

I think these are the forums I found other similar issues on but they seemed to resolve naturally over time.

Given a lot of people seem to be having those issues you'd think they'd move to a more functional security service, but hey. Contrary to some beliefs one voice often doesn't make a difference.

Cheers.

---

It is actually possible their firewall is denying access to a shared IP, which you are most likely using. Hence the proxy test I recommended.

---

Hi Steven,

My IP address is actually a static IP, because I have a domain that points to it (mainly for gaming but sometimes for servers as well). FamilySearch has worked well up until a month ago when I started getting this, so not sure what's changed.

Do you know of any free alternatives I can use? Hide me seems OK but I don't want to end up paying for something which may not work. Also not sure what that will mean for the things I host (never used things like VPN or proxy servers before).

Cheers.

---

I also have a static IP, but within a shared hosting block. It's complicated...

Assuming the hide.me link worked to access FamilySearch, that confirms my thoughts. I would suggest Tor Browser. This browser works by redirecting your web traffic through a series of different routers known as nodes.

---

Hi,

Not sure whether hide me works for that because you have to pay for it.

Someone else also recommended Tor browser but I could never get that to work. I'm guessing my ISP blocks that sort of thing.

Cheers.

---

Oops. I completely fudged that one. It was not hide.me, but CroxyProxy. Sorry about that!

---

Hi there,

Tried with that service, and I'm getting the same sorts of errors there as well.

Cheers.

---

Same here -- I just got this just now in the middle of editing a family. Going along nicely then boom, error. I'm also using Firefox with no VPN, and certainly didn't change any extensions between when it worked and when it stopped.

Edit: When I went back after posting this, it changed to a 500 server error, so I think it's on their end.

Answer 1

Not an answer really, but you may try using a proxy to see if that helps. For instance, CroxyProxy. If this works, than that confirms a FamilySearch/Imperva issue.