If you encountered url-file-3A-2F-2F-2F inside a log, config, or API response – it’s almost certainly an URI. Decode it before passing to curl .
: Indicates the target destination for the data transfer. curl-url-file-3A-2F-2F-2F
Specifically, decodes to :/// , which is the standard prefix for accessing local files on a machine's storage. This syntax is often used by developers and automated scripts to test local file access or to retrieve data from a local directory using the curl command-line tool . 1. Decoding the Syntax decodes to :///
In PHP:
curl: (3) URL using bad/illegal format or missing URL curl-url-file-3A-2F-2F-2F
curl [options] URL
You should see FILE in the protocols list.