Drupal version: 9.3.3

Issue:

PDF files (.pdf) uploaded to private file system result in a 404 error when trying to view. This occurs even for an admin user with Administrator permissions. Uploaded .txt, .doc, .docx files can be viewed with no issue. This issue is occurring in a production environment – site is hosted on Cloudways

Private directory set in settings.php

- $settings['file_private_path'] = $app_root . '/../private'; 

Steps to reproduce:

• Login to site as admin (Administrator role)
• Add file field to Article content type
• Set file field "Upload destination" to "Private files"
• Set "Allowed file extensions" is set to txt, pdf, doc, docx. Maximum upload size is set to 1 MB
• Set File directory to article-test

• My Drupal web root is public_html/web
• This means private files should be uploaded to public_html/private/article-test

Then:

• Create an Article (Test article)

• Add Title, Body and upload a valid 150 KB pdf file (doc_0.pdf)

• Save and publish Article
• View Test article
• Click on uploaded doc_0.pdf (file link shows up as https://MYSITE.com/system/files/article-test/doc_0.pdf)

• Get a 404 Page not found error
• Browser bar shows URL as https://placerstaffing.com/user/login?destination=/system/files/article-test/doc_0.pdf

• Go to https://MYSITE.com/admin/content/files

• Click on the file link https://placerstaffing.com/system/files/article-test/doc_0.pdf
• Get same exact 404 error as above

• dblog reports:

  page not found Location https://MYSITE.com/user/login?destination=%2Fsystem%2Ffiles%2Farticle-test%2Fdoc_0.pdf

• Remove doc_0.pdf file from Test article and upload a text file (with .txt) extension or a MS word file (with .doc or .docx extension) and viewing the file is fine – NO 404 error.

  • When I view the file .txt or .doc or .docx file, I’m prompted to save or view it.
  • I don’t believe this is a permissions issue, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to access these other file types.
  • public_html/private dir and lower dirs permissions are 775
  • Uploaded file (.pdf, .txt, .doc, .docx) permissions are 664

I’m wondering if there’s a PHP setting or Drupal private file setting or server setting that’s missing to allow .pdf files to be viewed ?

There is an .htaccess file in public_html/private directory. Thinking that may be related to the issue, I temporarily renamed it .htaccess.saved and tried to access doc_0.pdf file with same result.

Any help in resolving this would be greatly appreciated!