API requests without user agent no longer work

I'm getting a lot of reports of my app hitting failures today and I've tracked it down to a change where requests without a User-Agent header are getting rejected with a 403 error. Once I add a User-Agent header (even a fake one) the request succeeds.

Is this an intentional change? Since it's blocking my app I need to figure out how to resolve it but I don't want to push an update until I fully understand what you want to see in the User-Agent header for apps.

Please don't post multiple identical threads, even to different forums. Both bug-reporting and API Developer boards are monitored by the same engineers, so posting the same thread twice will not get your query answered any faster.

Thanks.

I am seeing the exact same thing. Started an hour or so ago. I am making the correct requests to the API, but am getting rejected. As @thefaxman says, we can add a user-agent but I think that would go against what you guys are trying to accomplish.

I was just starting to experiment with the API last night, then tonight I was racking my brain on what changed. Looking at the 403 error it seemed like GB thought I was a Scraping bot or something of the like. Kind of scared me until I found that others are having the same issue.

I think I'm getting this too. My code was working when I went to bed and when I wake up the log file is filled with error's telling me I'm a bot or something. Well I am building a twitter bot but that should be fine right? Is there something wrong with my code or is it on their end?

Yep, had to manually add Street Fighter V QL last night.

@dudeglove: He's not the only one getting this issue. I added a dummy User Agent and it started working again.

@edgework: Most apps that use the API from a server will stop working because of that. I guess this wasn't intentional?

Hey guys, is this the error you're getting? Started for me overnight.

"Wordpress RSS Reader / Scraper Blocked

Sorry we do not allow WordPress plugins to scrape our site. They tend to be used maliciously to steal our content. We do not allow scraping of any kind. You can load our RSS feeds using any other reader but you may not download our content. Click here more information on our feeds

Or you're running some other sketchy bot that we don't allow. Don't go trying to impersonate any other bot now, that WILL get you permanently banned!

Or.... maybe you're running an LG Podcast player written by a 10 year old. Either way, Please stop doing that."

@clidus: Yeah, this is about RSS feeds and I'm getting that on API queries.

@clidus: @szlifier Yep, I'm getting the same exact thing on my API queries today. I'm feeling a LOT better now that i've found this thread and learned that its not just me!

Yeah, I'm getting this as well, I was wondering why it wasn't pulling any info.

@lassieme: Answered in this thread

@szlifier: Yeah, I saw it about 15 minutes after I posted here. Still weird that this wasn't announced beforehand.

@lassieme: I agree. Striking lack of communication about such a critical change.

Confirmed working after adding user agent to curl requests.

This change is mentioned here, fyi: http://www.giantbomb.com/forums/api-developers-3017/api-call-throws-error-403-forbidden-1496714/?page=1#js-message-8232912

I was confused as why my script stopped working as well until I found that post. Just throw your username in the user agent somewhere and you should be good.

Hey guys. Yeah this was intentional. CBS is cracking down on bots and anonymous bots are no longer allowed. Your user agent must not be anything like "curl, perl, php, PyhonLib, wget" nor empty. Just provide a user agent preferably one that describes who you are and you'll be fine. This helps us too because we can pull reports on what you're doing and maybe find ways to make the API better for your particular use case.

Sorry about the lack of communication on this. @szlifier, I could swear you were on an email send out to the premier developers about this change.