Home Uncategorized

Troubleshooting CloudFlare WAF and Firewall Settings for External XML Feed Access

Last updated on Aug 08, 2025

Troubleshooting CloudFlare WAF and Firewall Settings for External XML Feed Access

**Description:**This comprehensive guide will help you understand and resolve CloudFlare Web Application Firewall (WAF) and firewall configurations that may block external API or XML feed access. It covers how to identify and fix issues, set up whitelists, allowlist IPs, and navigate common WAF blocking scenarios—specifically tailored for Brixly shared hosting customers with basic technical knowledge.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Many websites rely on external APIs or XML feeds (such as payment gateways, booking engines, or news feeds). When using CloudFlare's firewall and WAF, these connections may be inadvertently blocked, causing features to break or data to stop syncing. This guide will walk you through resolving these issues on your own, using the tools and access available to shared hosting customers.

Understanding the Problem

CloudFlare's security features are designed to protect your website from malicious traffic. However, strict firewall or WAF settings can sometimes block legitimate requests from trusted external services, including:

  • XML or JSON API feeds
  • Payment gateway callbacks
  • RSS/news imports
  • Inventory or data sync from third-party providers

Symptoms may include:

  • Failed data imports
  • 403 Forbidden or 401 Unauthorized errors in logs
  • Missing or incomplete feed data

Diagnosing CloudFlare Firewall and WAF Blocks

1. Check for Blocked Requests in CloudFlare Dashboard

  1. Log in to your CloudFlare dashboard.
  2. Select your website.
  3. Click on Security > Events.
  4. Look for recent events labeled as Blocked or Challenged matching the time and source of your feed/API.
  5. Click the event for more details, such as the triggering rule, source IP, and URI.

2. Review Error Logs

  • Check your application’s error logs or use cPanel’s Errors section to identify failed external requests.
  • Look for error codes like 403, 401, or mentions of "CloudFlare".

3. Confirm Source IP Addresses

  • Obtain the IP address or user agent of the external service from their documentation or support team.
  • You may also find this in CloudFlare’s event log under the blocked request.

How to Whitelist or Allowlist External Services

1. Whitelist by IP Address

If your external service provides a static IP or a list of IPs, you can allow them through CloudFlare:

  1. In your CloudFlare dashboard, go to Security > WAF > Tools.
  2. In the IP Access Rules section, add the IP address(es) provided by the external service.
  3. Set the action to Allow.
  4. Choose your domain (or "All websites in account" if needed) and save.

Example:

IP: 203.0.113.45
Action: Allow
Domain: example.com

Note: If the service uses dynamic IPs or ranges, ask them for the full list or if they have a recommended allowlist.

2. Whitelist by User Agent or URI (Advanced)

If the external service uses a unique user agent or a specific URI path:

  1. Go to Security > WAF > Custom Rules.
  2. Click Create Rule.
  3. Set a rule to match the user agent or URI (e.g., /api/feed-import.php).
  4. Action: Allow or Bypass security features (like Browser Integrity Check).

Example Rule:

Field: URI Path
Operator: equals
Value: /api/external-feed.php
Action: Allow

Common CloudFlare WAF Blocking Scenarios

  • Rate Limiting: CloudFlare may rate-limit repeated requests from the same IP. Adjust your rate limiting rules or allowlist the external IP.
  • Browser Integrity Check: Some services may not send typical browser headers and get blocked. You can disable this check for specific URIs.
  • Challenge/JS Challenge: If the WAF issues a challenge (like CAPTCHA), API services will fail. Allowlist them as above.
  • Geo-blocking: If your firewall blocks countries, ensure your external service’s country is not blocked.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

1. Identify the Block

  • Use CloudFlare’s Security Events to confirm the block.
  • Check your application’s error logs.

2. Gather Information

  • Collect the IP, user agent, and URL used by the external service.
  • Obtain recommended allowlist information from the external provider.

3. Whitelist in CloudFlare

  • Add the IP or set a custom WAF rule as described above.

4. Test the Feed/API

  • Trigger the external feed or API import.
  • Confirm the request is no longer blocked in CloudFlare’s Security Events.
  • Check your website for correct data import.

5. Review and Adjust

  • If still blocked, review the WAF rule that was triggered and adjust your allowlist/rules as needed.

Best Practices and Tips

  • Keep Allow Rules Specific: Only allow the minimum necessary IPs or URLs to minimize risk.
  • Document Changes: Keep a record of whitelisted IPs and rules for future troubleshooting.
  • Regularly Review Security Events: Unintentional blocks can happen when external services change IPs.
  • Minimize Rule Scope: Prefer IP-based allowlisting over disabling WAF features globally.
  • Backup Configurations: Regularly back up your DNS and CloudFlare settings.

When to Contact Support

If you have:

  • Tried the above steps and your connection is still blocked
  • The external service cannot provide static IPs or user agent info
  • You are unsure which rule is causing the block

Submit a support ticket to Brixly with the following information:

  • The affected domain
  • The external service or feed name
  • Error messages or logs
  • Any steps you have already taken

Our team will be happy to help investigate and advise further.

By following this guide, you can resolve most CloudFlare-related firewall and WAF issues with external APIs and XML feeds on your shared hosting account. If you need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team!