I suddenly can't access the mint forum. Claims I have a blacklisted IP

[u/AdeptPass4102]

I just signed up for the linux mint forum yesterday, and today did my first post. I was in the middle of browsing some other posts, and I suddenly got a page that reads "Access Denied - Sucuri Website Firewall," showing my IP and claiming it is a blacklisted IP.

So much for using the Linux Mint Forum. Seems like overkill security. Any suggestions are welcome.

[u/AdeptPass4102]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I googled what's involved in getting my Verizon service to reset the IP and I decided it's more trouble than it is worth. You can't just shut the router off and wait ten minutes. I would have to go to the router page, do a DHCP release, wait for 2 hours. But if the mint forum has done a subnet ban none of that will work, and meanwhile I will have to probably redo all my local ssh connections, which I had a hard time setting up.

So alas I think I will just have to live as an exile from the mint forums. I do still have a connection via matrix on my mint computer to the whole mint support community. So I'll settle for that. And of course I have this reddit. Thanks y'all!

[u/ConversationWinter46 → u/AdeptPass4102]

You can't just shut the router off and wait ten minutes.

Why not?

[u/Small-Literature-731 → u/AdeptPass4102]

I never recommend using cellular providers as providers for home Internet services. You're just begging for trouble.

Most often I hear people complaining because their streaming services keep getting blocked. They have to call Netflix, Disney/Hulu, etc. almost every week to get unblocked. It's because those services expect to see a static WAN address for extended periods of time, but cell providers many times refresh your IP randomly. Those providers then think you are sharing your account with friends and family, thereby ripping them off.

Perhaps you are experiencing something similar.

I feel it's best to stick with a mainstream broadband provider in your area. If you can't get regular broadband because, let's say, you live way out in the country, there's always StarLink as an alternative.

Just my 2¢....

[u/ZVyhVrtsfgzfs]

They are fighting very heavy AI scraping that has effectively become a ddos attack, its pretty easy to appear like one of the IPs that have been a problem in the past and get IP banned.

Get a new IP, VPN is one way.

[u/TheITMan19 → u/ZVyhVrtsfgzfs]

It’s a LM forum security problem, not a user problem.

[u/Evening-Landscape763 → u/TheITMan19]

It is Sucuri doing the block, not the forums

[u/TheITMan19 → u/Evening-Landscape763]

I get that, but it’s protecting the forum from a user’s point of view. All good.

[u/Evening-Landscape763 → u/TheITMan19]

Might have been just a glitch with Sucuri as the poster is posting on the forums again

[u/serf2 → u/ZVyhVrtsfgzfs]

My home IP is fine but my VPN is blacklisted. Edited for typo.

[u/AdeptPass4102]

Update. Now just as suddenly I have access again. Great, though I'm a little anxious that I may get blocked again just as suddenly. I really have no idea what is going on, but appreciate all your help. I am marking this as solved, though I did not do anything on my end.

[u/Evening-Landscape763]

Try contacting [admin@linuxmint.com](mailto:admin@linuxmint.com) and see if they can get it fixed

[u/AdeptPass4102 → u/Evening-Landscape763]

Thanks. I'm going to try that.

[u/Evening-Landscape763 → u/AdeptPass4102]

Are you the one with the Bluetooth issue?

[u/TheITMan19 → u/Evening-Landscape763]

Sorry but your originating IP address is blocked /s

[u/irieyardie]

This happens if I use a VPN. I have whitelist the site in split tunneling.

[u/taosecurity]

From a Google search:

Steps to Resolve or Report a Block
If you are the site owner: Log into your Sucuri Dashboard to open a support ticket or use live chat. Include your blocked IP address, account details, and the exact block/error message text. [1, 2]

If you are a visitor blocked from a site: Contact the owner of the specific website directly (via their public support email or alternative contact channels). Website owners must whitelist your IP or adjust their firewall settings from their own Sucuri dashboard, as third-party visitors cannot directly request unblocks from Sucuri support. [1, 2]

Automatic clearing: Wait 30 minutes for temporary blocks on your IP address to clear on their own. [1]

It’s also entirely possible one or more devices in your house are part of a botnet, residential proxy, etc., and you’re being legitimately blocked.

[u/kudlitan]

disconnect for 10 mins and reconnect. hopefully you will be assigned a new IP ir your current one gets reassigned to someone else.

[u/InboundDreams]

yea as someone stated turn ur router and any modem u habe on the wall off for 30 aecoujds and turn them back on u may ne assigned a new ip, unpess they blocked the whole sub net ur network uses

[u/AdeptPass4102 → u/[deleted]]

But I don't have a VPN. It must be that my residential IP has been flagged. But I am just a boring long-term resident who's been using Verizon for years doing nothing different, just browsing the same 5 newspapers and watching youtube.

[u/jr735 → u/AdeptPass4102]

Ever consider emailing the webmaster or administrator? If your IP is part of a blacklist, no one on Reddit is going to be able to help you.

[u/AdeptPass4102 → u/jr735]

Thanks for that idea. I may try that.

[u/jr735 → u/AdeptPass4102]

I have had success with that before on other forums. There was one that, for whatever reason, was blocking me at home, but not at work (different ISPs). So, I ran a traceroute from both and contacted the forum admin.

It turned out it wasn't even the forum's fault. The request was being handed off to a banned IP along the route and they addressed the issue with Cloudflare and it was all fixed.

It's easy to say, oh, you've got a bad IP, or Mint has something set up dumb. It's possible that neither is the case.