Nginx 403 Error: Directory Index of [Folder] Is Forbidden

The 403 Forbidden error with the message Directory index of [folder] is forbidden in Nginx typically occurs when Nginx is trying to serve a directory listing, but directory listing is not enabled or the permissions do not allow access.

Here’s how you can address this issue:

1. Check Nginx Configuration

Ensure that your Nginx configuration allows access to the directory and handles directory indexing correctly.

Enable Directory Listing

If you want to enable directory listing, you need to include the autoindex directive in your Nginx configuration.

1. Open Your Nginx Configuration File

   This could be in /etc/nginx/nginx.conf, or in a site-specific configuration file located in /etc/nginx/sites-available/ or /etc/nginx/conf.d/.

    

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   sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default
   

2. Add or Update the location Block

   Add or modify the location block to enable directory indexing:

    

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   server {
       listen 80;
       server_name example.com;
   
       location / {
           root /var/www/html;
           index index.html index.htm;
           autoindex on;  # Enable directory listing
       }
   }
   

   The autoindex on; directive enables the directory listing for the specified location.

3. Save and Close the File

4. Test the Configuration

    

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   sudo nginx -t
   

   Ensure there are no syntax errors in your configuration.

5. Reload Nginx

    

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   sudo systemctl reload nginx
   

2. Ensure Proper Permissions

Make sure that the Nginx user has the necessary permissions to access the directory and its contents.

1. Check Directory Permissions

   Verify that the directory and its parent directories have the correct permissions. The directory should be readable by the Nginx user (often www-data).

    

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   sudo chmod 755 /var/www/html
   sudo chmod 755 /var/www/html/folder
   

2. Check Ownership

   Ensure the directory is owned by the correct user and group. For example, if your Nginx user is www-data, the directory should be owned by www-data.

    

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   sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/folder
   

3. Check Index File Configuration

If you want to serve a specific index file and not enable directory listing, ensure that the index directive is properly configured.

1. Modify the index Directive

   Make sure your location block specifies an index file:

    

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   location / {
       root /var/www/html;
       index index.html index.htm;
   }
   

   This tells Nginx to serve index.html or index.htm if present in the directory.

2. Save and Close the File

3. Test and Reload Nginx

    

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   sudo nginx -t
   sudo systemctl reload nginx
   

4. Ensure No .htaccess Files or Conflicting Configurations

Although .htaccess files are used by Apache and not Nginx, check for any conflicting directives or configurations that may have been ported from Apache.

5. Verify Nginx Logs

If you continue to face issues, check the Nginx error logs for more details.

1. View Nginx Error Log

    

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   sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log
   

   Look for any specific error messages that might provide more insight into the issue.

Summary

• Enable Directory Listing: Use autoindex on; in your location block to enable directory listing.
• Ensure Permissions: Verify that directory and file permissions are set correctly for Nginx.
• Configure Index Files: Ensure the index directive is correctly configured if you don't want directory listing.
• Check Logs: Review Nginx error logs for more details.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the 403 Forbidden error related to directory indexing in Nginx.

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