Title: Data optimization &gt; 403 : cookie verification failed
Last modified: December 8, 2021

---

# Data optimization > 403 : cookie verification failed

 *  Resolved [symce](https://wordpress.org/support/users/symbiosource/)
 * (@symbiosource)
 * [4 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/data-optimization-403-cookie-verification-failed/)
 * Hi there,
 * I’ve just moved my wordpress website from http to https.
 * To complete the process I want to re-start the SEO data optimization.
 * Yet I get the following error message : [https://ibb.co/c3ckdgZ](https://ibb.co/c3ckdgZ)
 * >     ```
   >     Error details
   >     Request URL
   >     https://symbiosource.org/wp-json/yoast/v1/indexing/prepare
   > 
   >     Request method
   >     POST
   > 
   >     Status code
   >     403
   > 
   >     Error message
   >     La vérification du cookie a échouée
   >     ```
   > 
 * I’ve tried few things:
    – Apache mod_security seems disabled – htaccess file 
   seems quite standard
 * >     ```
   >     # BEGIN WordPress
   >     <IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
   >     RewriteEngine On
   >     RewriteBase /
   >     RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
   >     RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
   >     RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
   >     RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
   >     # Rewrite HTTP to HTTPS
   >     RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
   >     RewriteRule ^(.*) https://%{SERVER_NAME}/$1 [R,L]
   >     </IfModule>
   >     # END WordPress
   >     ```
   > 
 * Any idea where that might come from and how to solve it ?
 * Thanks a lot guys 🙂
    -  This topic was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by [symce](https://wordpress.org/support/users/symbiosource/).
 * The page I need help with: _[[log in](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.org%2Fsupport%2Ftopic%2Fdata-optimization-403-cookie-verification-failed%2F%3Foutput_format%3Dmd&locale=en_US)
   to see the link]_

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  Plugin Support [Maybellyne](https://wordpress.org/support/users/maybellyne/)
 * (@maybellyne)
 * [4 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/data-optimization-403-cookie-verification-failed/#post-15143327)
 * Hello Symbiosource,
 * We are sorry that you could not complete the SEO data optimization.
 * Status codes such as 403 deal with requests that are blocked or unauthorized.
   This means that something in or in front of your website is blocking our requests
   to the WordPress API. In this case, the [https://symbiosource.org/wp-json/yoast/v1/indexing/prepare](https://symbiosource.org/wp-json/yoast/v1/indexing/prepare)
   endpoint.
 * The Yoast plugin uses the WordPress REST API for several features, including 
   the SEO data optimization process. Therefore, the pathway wp-json/yoast/v1/indexing/
   prepare/ is a request that our plugin makes to the REST API for scanning posts
   and indexing them in the website database.
 * It looks like something on your site/server setups blocks them. Therefore, SEO
   data optimization cannot be completed. We see that some Web Application FireWalls
   utilize some rules that may block some of these requests. This status code will
   also show up if you’ve completely disabled the WordPress API.
 * Because we don’t know your server setup, we cannot determine exactly why the 
   server returns a 403 for the REST API requests made by Yoast. Based on similar
   issues we receive from other users, this typically occurs due to a security or
   server setting.
 * You mentioned that Apache mod_security seems disabled. Would you please check
   the ‘mod_security’ settings that prevent our plugin from accessing the REST API
   again? If there are no ‘mod_security’ settings preventing access at the server,
   you may have a custom .htaccess rule or security plugin limiting access to the
   WordPress REST API. Please review any security restrictions and whitelist the
   Yoast plugin for accessing the feature
 * If you have a Web Application Firewall (WAF), like Comodo, please verify that
   it is not set up to strip the parameter from the Yoast REST API requests. Some
   users have reported that some WAF setups are too strict to prevent Blind SQL 
   injection attacks.
 * You might need to contact your web host or provider for further assistance regarding
   this. We expect that once the adjustments have been made, you’ll be able to run
   and complete the SEO data optimization process since the WordPress REST API won’t
   be blocked anymore.
 *  Thread Starter [symce](https://wordpress.org/support/users/symbiosource/)
 * (@symbiosource)
 * [4 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/data-optimization-403-cookie-verification-failed/#post-15143410)
 * Hi Maybellyne,
 * Thank you for you swift reply.
 * – WordPress rest API: seems enabled when I try visiting [https://mydomain.com/?rest_route=/](https://mydomain.com/?rest_route=/)
 * – Is there a way for me to provide you with my server setup ?
 * – mod_security : the file .ovhconfig contain the following line
 * > http.firewall=none
 * – .htaccess, please have a look at the one I use
 * > `# BEGIN WordPress
   > <IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
   >  RewriteEngine On RewriteBase / RewriteRule ^index\.
   > php$ – [L] RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME}!-
   > d RewriteRule . /index.php [L] # Rewrite HTTP to HTTPS RewriteCond %{HTTPS}!
   > =on RewriteRule ^(.*) [https://%](https://%){SERVER_NAME}/$1 [R,L] </IfModule
   > >
   > # END WordPress`
 * – Security plugins : I dont use any.
 * – WAF : I dont use any.
 * Any other idea ?
 * Since I have moved my website from http to https Today, the issue might come 
   from there. Anything you see that might be related ?
 * Thanks again for the help, have a wonderful day !
    -  This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by [symce](https://wordpress.org/support/users/symbiosource/).
 *  Plugin Support [Maybellyne](https://wordpress.org/support/users/maybellyne/)
 * (@maybellyne)
 * [4 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/data-optimization-403-cookie-verification-failed/#post-15143464)
 * Thanks for following up with us.
 * This requires taking a closer look at your specific setup by our technical support
   team. Our [Yoast SEO Premium plugin](https://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/)
   comes with one year of (technical) support.
 *  [devnihil](https://wordpress.org/support/users/devnihil/)
 * (@devnihil)
 * [4 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/data-optimization-403-cookie-verification-failed/#post-15162729)
 * We are going ahead and marking this issue as resolved due to inactivity. If you
   require any further assistance please create a new issue.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘Data optimization > 403 : cookie verification failed’ is closed to new
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 * 4 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [devnihil](https://wordpress.org/support/users/devnihil/)
 * Last activity: [4 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/data-optimization-403-cookie-verification-failed/#post-15162729)
 * Status: resolved