Failed authenticating: Background task failed: Desktop request failed: 403 Forbidden

[DawrFromUa]

Hi there. I've got some problem after update.
I've made next steps:

• Update program
• Update extension
• Set Enable browser access as true
• Unlock program
• Pressed connect button and enter password to field.

What's wrong?

[perry-mitchell]

What desktop version are you using?

[DawrFromUa]

What desktop version are you using?

Latest and couple previous version after major update.

[perry-mitchell]

Ok, I'm not exactly sure what issue you're having. Your initial steps don't actually mention what's wrong.

Please include a detailed description of what's not working, and add a screenshot or copy the error message if something is displayed to you.

[DawrFromUa]

Ok, I'm not exactly sure what issue you're having. Your initial steps don't actually mention what's wrong.

Please include a detailed description of what's not working, and add a screenshot or copy the error message if something is displayed to you.

My trouble is that I can't connect extension to program. Title of this tread is error what I get always when I trying to connect.

Error is: Failed authenticating: Background task failed: Desktop request failed: 403 Forbidden

And if you tell me where I can find logs, I can give it for you. I have Windows 10 right now.

[perry-mitchell]

You'd want to go into your extensions (assuming you're running chrome - it's a similar process on other browsers):

And open the background page debugger:

And then try connecting again. Please check the console and the network for any failed requests. Screenshots are valuable but please blur any Authorization headers or anything else that look sensitive. The data should be encrypted so it shouldn't be showing any raw vault information.

[DawrFromUa]

Oh, I have Mozilla Firefox.

So, I was open Extensions page, check errors, but there is empty (also after restart of page).

And then I open connection page, restart it and enter a password. There is my error list.

[perry-mitchell]

Hmm, that error makes it sound like the client code used to authenticate the browser extension is not present in the desktop config.

Have you reset or edited the desktop app's config in any way?

Have you tried resetting the data in the extension and reconnecting? You can do this via the settings tab in the popup menu.

[DawrFromUa]

Hmm, that error makes it sound like the client code used to authenticate the browser extension is not present in the desktop config.

Have you reset or edited the desktop app's config in any way?

Have you tried resetting the data in the extension and reconnecting? You can do this via the settings tab in the popup menu.

I haven't touched any files either desktop or extension.
Following your recommendations, I reset the settings using the settings in the popup menu and tried to reconnect. It's the same problem.

[Oxalin]

@DawrFromUa About 403 error specifically: could you please have a look at your firewall settings to be sure Buttercup Desktop is allowed to communicate? I've encountered this error on two different setups at work and in both cases the firewall was preventing Buttercup Desktop from going through the firewall (even if it is on the same host).

[perry-mitchell]

Seems that this could be a bigger problem that I'd have thought. I'm biased of course as I use Linux/Mac primarily and don't have firewall issues. I wonder if an alternative like this would be better suited than a proxy + port.

That would negate some other issues where they'd like to have Buttercup listening on another logical machine, but I think this outweighs such issues.

[Oxalin]

Under Windows, I can't remember if it's at launch the first time Buttercup desktop is launched or if it is after selecting Enable browser connectivity, but a window appears asking if we want to allow the application communicate through the firewall. Someone who doesn't allow it for whatever reason (not knowingly or thinking it doesn't need to communicate through internet or because they don't have the administrative rights) will never be asked again about this change, since a rule will have been written in Windows Defender firewall (I can't tell for other firewall application).

A hint to this solution should at least be suggested to the user.

@perry-mitchell I can't say if an alternative as proposed would fix the issue completely, but I'm willing to try it.

[DawrFromUa]

Thanks a lot for your help @Oxalin.

@perry-mitchell
So, I've drop my Windows Defender for all groups (public, local, private etc....). Allow all rights for buttercup.exe for all users.
Also I found in Windows Defender Farewall two lines (rules) for Buttercup. I've switch this (turn off) but it does'nt help.
And I've start browser as administator and this way also doesn't help.

[la-pieuvre]

Hi there, I have the same issue on chrome 112.0.5615.137 on mac os 14.4 (23E214) with the extension 3.2 (autoupdate) I touche nothing and now I have the error message "Failed starting connection: Background task failed: Failed to fetch". My colleague has the same problem with version 3.2 on chrome windows.

I have an older version of the desktop app (2.25.0) that works fine.

[DawrFromUa]

Hi there, I have the same issue on chrome 112.0.5615.137 on mac os 14.4 (23E214) with the extension 3.2 (autoupdate) I touche nothing and now I have the error message "Failed starting connection: Background task failed: Failed to fetch". My colleague has the same problem with version 3.2 on chrome windows. I have an older version of the desktop app (2.25.0) that works fine.

@la-pieuvre in this case I think you just don't start Buttercup or don't Enable browser access in Connections (on top of the desktop app in menu).

[perry-mitchell]

Failed to fetch is usually when there's nothing listening - no port open, no desktop app running.

I suspect the firewall is a big problem but it annoys me that showing some kind of helpful indicator to fix it is one of the only ways forward right now.