Overview
We recently implemented Cloudflare to provide an additional layer of security and protection for our website and services.
As part of this implementation, some traffic may be blocked or challenged by Cloudflare’s security rules. In some cases, legitimate users may be affected.
If you are seeing a 403 Forbidden, Cloudflare block page, or another message indicating that your access has been denied, this article explains why it may be happening and what you can do.
Why am I being blocked?
Cloudflare evaluates incoming website traffic and applies security rules designed to protect our services from malicious or suspicious activity.
One of the rules currently in place restricts traffic based on the geographic location associated with the visitor’s IP address.
The rule currently identifies traffic originating from:
- Cuba
- North Korea
- Iran
- Syria
- Iraq
- Belarus
- Myanmar
- Russia
- Venezuela
- China
Important: Being blocked does not necessarily mean that you personally or your device has done anything wrong. If your internet connection is being identified as originating from one of these locations, the geographic security rule may prevent access automatically.
Why might my location be identified incorrectly?
IP-based geolocation is not always perfect.
Your actual physical location and the location associated with your public IP address can sometimes differ. This can happen when you are:
- Using a VPN or proxy
- Connected through a corporate or business network
- Using a cloud-hosted or virtual network
- Traveling
- Using an internet service provider whose IP address is registered in another location
- Connecting through certain privacy or security services
For example, you may physically be located in the United States while your VPN or proxy provides an IP address that Cloudflare associates with another country.
What should I do if I am a legitimate customer?
1. Disable your VPN or proxy
If you are using a VPN, proxy, privacy relay, or similar service, temporarily disable it and try accessing the site again.
If the site works after disabling the service, the IP address provided by that service was likely identified as being in a restricted location.
2. Try a different network
If possible, try accessing the service using another internet connection.
For example:
- Switch from your company’s network to a personal connection.
- Try a mobile data connection.
- Try another Wi-Fi network.
If you can access the site from another network, this can help determine whether the issue is related to the IP address assigned to your original connection.
3. Check the Cloudflare error page
If Cloudflare has blocked your request, the page you receive may contain additional information about the block.
Please take a screenshot of the error page and provide it to our support team. If available, include the Cloudflare Ray ID shown on the page.
The Ray ID can help us investigate what happened to the request.
4. Contact support
If you believe you have been blocked incorrectly, contact our support team.
Please provide:
- Your name and/or account information
- The approximate date and time of the issue
- The website or page you were attempting to access
- A screenshot of the Cloudflare error page
- The Cloudflare Ray ID, if displayed
- Whether you were using a VPN, proxy, corporate network, or other privacy service
This information will help us determine which security rule caused the block.
Can the block be removed?
Potentially, yes.
If we determine that legitimate customer traffic is being incorrectly blocked, we can review the Cloudflare security configuration and determine whether an exception or a more targeted security rule is appropriate.
Why don’t we simply allow everyone?
The purpose of implementing Cloudflare is to add protection against malicious traffic, automated attacks, abuse, and other security threats.
What if I am traveling?
If you are traveling internationally, your internet connection may be associated with a different country than your normal location.
If you are unable to access the service while traveling, try:
- Connecting through a different network.
- Disabling your VPN or proxy.
- Using a trusted local internet connection.
- Contacting support if the issue continues.
What if I am using a VPN?
VPNs can change the public IP address and apparent geographic location of your connection.
If you receive a Cloudflare block while using a VPN, try temporarily disconnecting from the VPN and accessing the service again.
If access is restored, the VPN’s IP address or network may be the reason for the block.
Is my account suspended?
Not necessarily.
A Cloudflare block is generally a network/security decision made when a request matches a configured security rule. It does not automatically mean that your customer account has been suspended or disabled.
If you are concerned about your account status, please contact support.
How our team can investigate
When a customer reports a Cloudflare block, our team should first determine which Cloudflare security rule caused the request to be blocked.
Cloudflare’s Security Events can be used to investigate blocked requests and identify the security rule responsible. Cloudflare also provides tools such as Trace to help determine how a request was evaluated by its rules.
If the block is caused by the geographic rule described above, we can then determine whether the customer’s traffic should be permitted through a more targeted exception.
Please don’t repeatedly retry the request
If you are consistently receiving a Cloudflare block, repeatedly refreshing the page is unlikely to resolve the issue.
Instead, capture the error information and contact support so we can investigate the request.
Summary
Cloudflare was implemented to improve the security and reliability of our services.
Some customers may occasionally encounter a block because their IP address, network, VPN, or proxy is identified as originating from a restricted geographic location.
If you believe you have been blocked incorrectly:
Disable your VPN/proxy → Try another network → Capture the Cloudflare error/Ray ID → Contact support.
We will review the request and determine whether the block is expected or whether an adjustment to our security configuration is appropriate.