How To: Enable Custom Errors to Mask Server Errors

Version Affected: All

 

Overview

This article explains how to enable Custom Errors so that errors caused by invalid entries or general server errors are masked from the end user, instead of exposing a detailed error page.

Custom errors are disabled by default. This is useful for troubleshooting, since it shows the underlying error, but it also means an outward-facing error page can display details you may not want visible to end users, as shown below.

Custom Errors can be enabled at the realm level and/or at the Default Web Site level. Enable it at whichever level applies to the errors you want to mask.

In this article

• Method 1: Enable Custom Errors at the realm level
• Method 2: Enable Custom Errors at the Default Web Site level

Method 1: Enable Custom Errors at the realm level

Use this method to mask errors for a specific realm.

1. Open the realm (SecureAuth#) in the Admin Console.
2. Open the Logs tab.
3. Set Custom Errors to ON.

Method 2: Enable Custom Errors at the Default Web Site level

Use this method to mask errors across the Default Web Site, rather than a single realm.

1. Open Notepad as an Administrator.
2. Open D:\inetpub\wwwroot\web.config.
3. Add the following inside the file:

<system.web>
        <customErrors defaultRedirect="customerror.htm" redirectMode="ResponseRewrite" mode="On" />
</system.web>

4. If you want the Default Web Site to show the same custom error page used at the realm level, find a customerror.htm file in any D:\SecureAuth\SecureAuth# realm folder and copy it to D:\inetpub\wwwroot.

SecureAuth Knowledge Base Articles provide information based on specific use cases and may not apply to all appliances or configurations. Be advised that these instructions could cause harm to the environment if not followed correctly or if they do not apply to the current use case.

Customers are responsible for their own due diligence prior to utilizing this information and agree that SecureAuth is not liable for any issues caused by misconfiguration directly or indirectly related to SecureAuth products.