Login not working on some browsers due to missing security token

[anstei]

The URL being used must match the values listed in the Admin CP -> Settings -> Options -> Site Name / URL / Contact Details.

All URLs should either have the www or none should have the www.

You can then force people to one or the other by adding custom code to the .htaccess file (assuming your web server is Apache.)

There are many different ways to do this if you Google for it, one example is explained here: http://www.htaccessbasics.com/force-www-nonwww-domain/

The details will vary slightly depending on the exact URL and if your forum is in the website root or its own sub-directory.

VB3 was more forgiving of using the wrong URL but VB5 you must always use the correct URL and only the correct URL. To browsers www and non-www URLs are completely different sites.

Good to know, I think that fixed it.

[Wayne Luke]

Are you using a cookie or script blocking extension?

[sytyregistry]

My problem is atypical then. It's repeatable using the correct URL nomenclature. I have verified the site URL in the admincp.

[Wayne Luke]

The above happens (login failure, error message), but if I click a subforum link or topic link, I'm logged in when the page refreshes.

This is typical behavior when you access a site from a URL different than what is specified in the Settings under Site Name / URL / Contact Details. You need to access from the URL specified due to security on the cookies.

[sytyregistry]

I am having the "same" issue. If I attempt to login, the page will refresh (as though logged in) but still shows a logged out status. Logging in again gives this error.

Error :Your submission could not be processed because a security token was missing.

If this occurred unexpectedly, please inform the administrator and describe the action you performed before you received this error. on line 638 in /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/applicationabstract.php
Step 0: showErrorPage() called on line 276 in /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/applicationabstract.php
Step 1: handleException() called
Exception API Error
Controller: content_channel
Method: fetchTopLevelChannelIds
Error(s):  
 array (   0 =>    array (     0 => 'Your submission could not be processed because a security token was missing.<br /> <br /> If this occurred unexpectedly, please <a href="%1$s">inform the administrator</a> and describe the action you performed before you received this error.',   ),   1 =>    array (     0 => 'exception_trace',     1 => '## /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/core/vb/api.php(513) Exception Thrown  #0 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/core/vb/api/wrapper.php(116): vB_Api->checkApiState(\'fetchTopLevelCh...\') #1 [internal function]: vB_Api_Wrapper->__call(\'fetchTopLevelCh...\', Array) #2 [internal function]: vB_Api_Wrapper->fetchTopLevelChannelIds(\'\') #3 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/api/interface/collapsed.php(198): call_user_func_array(Array, Array) #4 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/template/runtime.php(548): Api_Interface_Collapsed->callApi(\'content_channel\', \'fetchTopLevelCh...\', Array, false, true) #5 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/template.php(318) : eval()\'d code(131): vB5_Template_Runtime::parseData(\'content_channel\', \'fetchTopLevelCh...\', \'\') #6 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/template.php(318): eval() #7 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/template/cache.php(134): vB5_Template->render(false) #8 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/template.php(340): vB5_Template_Cache->replacePlaceholders(\'\\r\\n\\t\\r\\n\\t\\r\\n\\t\\r\\n\\t\\r\\n\\t...\') #9 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/template/cache.php(134): vB5_Template->render(false) #10 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/template.php(340): vB5_Template_Cache->replacePlaceholders(\'<!-- ##template...\') #11 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/applicationabstract.php(460): vB5_Template->render() #12 /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/applicationabstract.php(276): vB5_ApplicationAbstract::showErrorPage(Array, false) #13 [internal function]: vB5_ApplicationAbstract::handleException(Object(vB5_Exception)) #14 {main}',   ), )
on line 552 in /home/<removed>/public_html/forum/includes/vb5/template/runtime.php

My install was a fresh install to an empty DB and empty subdirectory. All went well with the install and we were logging in all last night. No changes overnight but get up this morning and this is the issue.

////////// UPDATE \\\\\\\\\\

The above happens (login failure, error message), but if I click a subforum link or topic link, I'm logged in when the page refreshes.

[Joe D.]

The URL being used must match the values listed in the Admin CP -> Settings -> Options -> Site Name / URL / Contact Details.

All URLs should either have the www or none should have the www.

You can then force people to one or the other by adding custom code to the .htaccess file (assuming your web server is Apache.)

There are many different ways to do this if you Google for it, one example is explained here: http://www.htaccessbasics.com/force-www-nonwww-domain/

The details will vary slightly depending on the exact URL and if your forum is in the website root or its own sub-directory.

VB3 was more forgiving of using the wrong URL but VB5 you must always use the correct URL and only the correct URL. To browsers www and non-www URLs are completely different sites.

[anstei]

Did some further testing: It does not seem to be browser dependent, but domain dependent. The forum is accessible on https://www.domain.tld, but also on https://domain.tld. I put the first one as vBulletin URL and as login URL. Trying to login without www leads to the behaviour I described - Nothing happening without "Remember me", System Error with "Remember me". I can try to redirect all requests through .htaccess - Or does vB5 have such an option?

[anstei]

It did not. Here's the log of the update script, it only did the last step to 5.3.0:

Edit: Oh, wait, after clearing cache and cookies, it now works with Firefox. I'm now trying to figure out whether it is working for everybody else too.

Processing XML
Step 1 - Import latest options
Importing vbulletin-settings.xml
Import Done
Step 2 - Import latest admin help
Importing vbulletin-adminhelp.xml
Import Done
Step 3 - Import latest language
Importing vbulletin-language.xml
Import Done
Step 4 - Import latest widgets
Importing vbulletin-widgets.xml
Import Done
Step 5 - Importing vbulletin-screenlayouts.xml
Import Done
Step 6 - Importing vbulletin-pagetemplates.xml
Import Done
Step 7 - Importing vbulletin-pages.xml
Import Done
Step 8 - Importing vbulletin-channels.xml
Import Done
Step 9 - Importing vbulletin-routes.xml
Import Done
Step 10 - Skipping step, not needed
Step 11 - Updating node table
Step 12 - Updating node table
Step 13 - Verifying Product Dependencies
Step 14 - Importing vbulletin-style.xml
Template Group: Admin
Template Group: BB Code
Template Group: Blog
Template Group: Blog Admin
Template Group: Color
Template Group: Content Entry
Template Group: Conversation
Template Group: CSS
Template Group: Display
Template Group: Editor
Template Group: Error
Template Group: Group
Template Group: Human Verification
Template Group: Inline Moderation
Template Group: Link
Template Group: Login
Template Group: Media
Template Group: Pagenav
Template Group: Photo
Template Group: Picture
Template Group: Private Message
Template Group: Profile
Template Group: Screen Layout
Template Group: Search
Template Group: Group Admin
Template Group: Subscription
Template Group: Tag
Template Group: User Profile Field
Template Group: User Setting
Template Group: Module
Template Group: Ungrouped Templates 1
Template Group: Ungrouped Templates 2
Template Group: Ungrouped Templates 3
Template Group: Ungrouped Templates 4
Template Group: Ungrouped Templates 5
Template Group: Ungrouped Templates 6
Template Group: Ungrouped Templates 7
Step 14 - Import Done
Step 15 - Import Styles
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Black Red'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Blue Green'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Blue Yellow'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Cool Blue'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Denim'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Gradient'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Grey Stripes'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Grunge'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Light Blue'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Old School'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Orange Purple'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Pink'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Red'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Stripes'.
Template Group: CSS
Finished importing style 'Wood'.
Step 15 - Import Done
Step 16 - Resetting cache
Step 17 - Skipping step, not needed
Step 18 - Import the password schemes
Step 19 - Adding default notification category & type data.
Merge template changes
Processed 0 records starting at 0
Template merges complete. Rebuilding style information. This could take a while...
Step 20 - Merge template changes
Processing Complete

Status: Done

[Trevor Hannant]

Can you try re-downloading the ZIP file from the Members Area and re-upload all files (except config.php.bkp, core/includes/config.php.new and the core/install/install.php file) making sure you overwrite all files currently on your server then re-run the upgrade script.

Does this resolve the problem?

[anstei]

I upgraded my from from vB 3.8.0 to 5.3.0. The upgrade stopped twice because of errors, but restarting it made it go through.

Now some of my users can't login and I'm pretty sure it is browser-dependent as I can reproduce this.

After entering user/pw and clicking the login button, there's two different behaviours: If I don't want to "remember me", the login seems to go through but I end up being not logged in, no error message. If I check "remember me" I get the following on some browsers:

Error :Your submission could not be processed because a security token was missing.

If this occurred unexpectedly, please inform the administrator and describe the action you performed before you received this error. on line 638 in /<removed>/includes/vb5/applicationabstract.php
Step 0: showErrorPage() called on line 276 in /<removed>/includes/vb5/applicationabstract.php
Step 1: handleException() called
Exception API Error
Controller: content_channel
Method: fetchTopLevelChannelIds
Error(s):  
 array (   0 =>    array (     0 => 'Your submission could not be processed because a security token was missing.<br /> <br /> If this occurred unexpectedly, please <a href="%1$s">inform the administrator</a> and describe the action you performed before you received this error.',   ),   1 =>    array (     0 => 'exception_trace',     1 => '## /<removed>/core/vb/api.php(513) Exception Thrown  #0 /<removed>/core/vb/api/wrapper.php(116): vB_Api->checkApiState(\'fetchTopLevelCh...\') #1 [internal function]: vB_Api_Wrapper->__call(\'fetchTopLevelCh...\', Array) #2 [internal function]: vB_Api_Wrapper->fetchTopLevelChannelIds(\'\') #3 /<removed>/includes/api/interface/collapsed.php(198): call_user_func_array(Array, Array) #4 /<removed>/includes/vb5/template/runtime.php(548): Api_Interface_Collapsed->callApi(\'content_channel\', \'fetchTopLevelCh...\', Array, false, true) #5 /<removed>/includes/vb5/template.php(318) : eval()\'d code(131): vB5_Template_Runtime::parseData(\'content_channel\', \'fetchTopLevelCh...\', \'\') #6 /<removed>/includes/vb5/template.php(318): eval() #7 /<removed>/includes/vb5/template/cache.php(134): vB5_Template->render(false) #8 /<removed>/includes/vb5/template.php(340): vB5_Template_Cache->replacePlaceholders(\'\\r\\n\\t\\r\\n\\t\\r\\n\\t\\r\\n\\t\\r\\n\\t...\') #9 /<removed>/includes/vb5/template/cache.php(134): vB5_Template->render(false) #10 /<removed>/includes/vb5/template.php(340): vB5_Template_Cache->replacePlaceholders(\'<!-- ##template...\') #11 /<removed>/includes/vb5/applicationabstract.php(460): vB5_Template->render() #12 /<removed>/includes/vb5/applicationabstract.php(276): vB5_ApplicationAbstract::showErrorPage(Array, false) #13 [internal function]: vB5_ApplicationAbstract::handleException(Object(vB5_Exception)) #14 {main}',   ), )
on line 552 in /<removed>/includes/vb5/template/runtime.php

Working browsers: Opera 44. Not working: Android Internet browers, Firefox 52.0.2

PHP 5.6.26, MySQL 10.1.22-MariaDB, only addons are Forumrunner and vBShout (lite) by DragonTech. Disabling those didn't change anything. Default style, default language English.

Any ideas what could be causing this?