Problem with passing an argument to a php script

[system]

I’m fairly new to php, though I have been dabbling with software for many years. I am currently playing with a php script to display data from a big SQL database of dog pedigrees, but I have come across an odd problem.
When I pass an argument to the script with a string which includes ‘tar%20’ ie ‘tar’ and a space in it such as ‘star prize’…

…/card.php?name=star%20prize

I get an error from the server…

Forbidden

You don’t have permission to access /card.php on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

Any suggestions please?

Simon R.

[JimL]

Values passed in the url will show up url encoded, php should handle that automagically.

Your error is thrown because the web server doesn’t have access to the file /card.php

[scrishton]

… except that the script handles any other arguments sent to card.php without problem. Actually I think I’ve sorted the problem - an over zealous security rule on the server trying to block .tar access.

Simon R.

[JimL]

… except that the script handles any other arguments sent to card.php without problem.

Ah, didn’t get that from the first post but now I see it was spesifically when sending in a string with “tar”. ^^

Actually I think I’ve sorted the problem - an over zealous security rule on the server trying to block .tar access.

That sounds like a strange rule indeed, one of the reasons using a WAF isn’t the best idea.

Great that you got it sorted though