---
title: Control Handling of the Backslash Character
description: This property controls whether the backslash character, if used in incoming URL paths, is rejected, accepted (without decoding) or decoded.
component: java-agents
version: 2024.11
page_id: java-agents:properties-reference:org.forgerock.agents.backslash.handling.strategy
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/java-agents/2026/properties-reference/org.forgerock.agents.backslash.handling.strategy.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/java-agents/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
superseded_by: https://docs.pingidentity.com/java-agents/2026/properties-reference/org.forgerock.agents.backslash.handling.strategy.html
---

# Control Handling of the Backslash Character

This property controls whether the backslash character, if used in incoming URL paths, is rejected, accepted (without decoding) or decoded.

When set to `REJECT_OUTRIGHT`, if a backslash occurs anywhere in the incoming URI path, or path parameters, the agent will reject the incoming request with an HTTP 400 response.

When set to `ACCEPT_BUT_NOT_INTERPRET`, any occurrence of backslash in the incoming URI path, or path parameters, will be left unconverted.

When set to `ACCEPT_AND_INTERPRET`, any occurrence of backslash in the incoming URI path, or path parameters, will be replaced by a forward slash character.

|                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Property name            | `org.forgerock.agents.backslash.handling.strategy`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| Aliases                  | `org.forgerock.agents.backslash.handling.strategy`   Introduced in Java Agent 2024.11                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Function                 | Configure behaviour                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| Supported settings       | * REJECT_OUTRIGHT

  Any and all occurrences of the specified sequence within the incoming URL will cause the agent to reject the incoming request with HTTP 400.

* ACCEPT_BUT_NOT_INTERPRET

  Occurrences of the specified sequence within the incoming URL will not cause the agent to reject the incoming request, but the sequence will be left decoded.

* ACCEPT_AND_INTERPRET

  Occurrences of the specified sequence within the incoming URL will not cause the agent to reject the incoming request, and the sequence will be decoded for the purposes of not-enforced rule matching and AM policy evaluation |
| Default                  | `REJECT_OUTRIGHT`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| Bootstrap property       | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| Required property        | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| Restart required         | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| Local configuration file | `AgentConfig.properties`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |