What is Error 418: I'm a teapot
You probably won't run into HTTP Error 418 in your everyday web browsing - in fact, it’s one of the rarest status codes you'll ever see. But rare doesn’t mean impossible.
So, what exactly is Error 418, and what causes it?
According to an RFC (Request for Comments — a publication series by the IETF for internet standards and proposals), Error 418 "I'm a teapot" is returned when: "There is an attempt to brew coffee with a teapot."
In other words, it's a server's humorous way to refuses to fulfill your request. Server may respond this to reject suspicious or excessive activity — such as enforcing security rules or rate limits.
You might encounter it if:
- You're using a standard vulnerability scanner or hacking tool.
- You're making way too many requests in a short period.
- You're triggering unusually high number of 404 errors.
In some cases, encountering this error could even result in being temporarily or permanently blocked by the server.