Howto: Easy FTP with vsftpd

[kooldino]

Is there a way to set it up so that you can use the same username as an account on the machine with a different password?

[babola]

Very nice tutorial, thanks!

However... I want to give real users the ability to log in via ftp AND create some virtual users at the same time. The additional lines in the /etc/pam.d/vsftpd config file...

auth required /lib/security/pam_userdb.so db=/etc/vsftpd_login
account required /lib/security/pam_userdb.so db=/etc/vsftpd_login

...causes access for normal users (those with entries in /etc/passwd) to no longer work. So how can I do both?

Thanks,
B.

[roundhay]

I have tried following this tutorial on 9.10 but I can't get access to the ftp-files folder I created or access using ftp localhost.

I have posted the terminal session from the install and configuration and my /etc/vsftp.conf file, I would be grateful if someone could look at these and let me know what i have done wrong?

Terminal session info:

home@server:~$ sudo apt-get install vsftpd
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed
  vsftpd
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/144kB of archives.
After this operation, 475kB of additional disk space will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously deselected package vsftpd.
(Reading database ... 64489 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking vsftpd (from .../vsftpd_2.2.0-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb) ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Setting up vsftpd (2.2.0-1ubuntu1) ...
update-rc.d: warning: vsftpd stop runlevel arguments (0 1 6) do not match LSB Default-Stop values (1)
 * Starting FTP server: vsftpd                                                                       [ OK ] 

home@server:~$ sudo cp /etc/vsftpd.conf /etc/vsftpd.conf.original
home@server:~$ sudo nano /etc/vsftpd.conf
home@server:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/vsftpd restart
 * Stopping FTP server: vsftpd                                                                                                                 [ OK ] 
 * Starting FTP server: vsftpd                                                                                                                 [ OK ] 
home@server:~$ sudo useradd -d /home/ftp-files ftp-users
home@server:~$ sudo mkdir /home/ftp-files
home@server:~$ sudo chown ftp-users /home/ftp-files
home@server:~$ sudo mkdir /etc/vsftpd
home@server:~$ sudo mkdir /etc/vsftpd/vusers
home@server:~$ sudo nano /etc/vsftpd.conf
home@server:~$ sudo nano /etc/pam.d/ftp
home@server:~$ sudo nano logins.txt
home@server:~$ sudo apt-get install db4.2-util
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libdb4.2
The following NEW packages will be installed
  db4.2-util libdb4.2
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 486kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,266kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
Get: 1 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main libdb4.2 4.2.52+dfsg-5 [416kB]
Get: 2 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe db4.2-util 4.2.52+dfsg-5 [70.7kB]
Fetched 486kB in 0s (607kB/s)    
Selecting previously deselected package libdb4.2.
(Reading database ... 64542 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libdb4.2 (from .../libdb4.2_4.2.52+dfsg-5_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package db4.2-util.
Unpacking db4.2-util (from .../db4.2-util_4.2.52+dfsg-5_amd64.deb) ...
Setting up libdb4.2 (4.2.52+dfsg-5) ...
Setting up db4.2-util (4.2.52+dfsg-5) ...
home@server:~$ sudo db4.2_load -T -t hash -f logins.txt /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd_login.db
home@server:~$ sudo chmod 600 /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd_login.db
home@server:~$ sudo chmod 600 logins.txt
home@server:~$ sudo nano /etc/vsftpd/ftp-users
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user1
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user2
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user3
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user4
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user5
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user6
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user7
home@server:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/vsftpd restart
 * Stopping FTP server: vsftpd                                                                                                                        No /usr/sbin/vsftpd found running; none killed.
                                                                                                                                               [ OK ]
 * Starting FTP server: vsftpd                                                                                                                 [ OK ] 
home@server:~$ ftp localhost
ftp: connect to address 127.0.0.1: Connection refused
Trying 127.0.0.1...
ftp: connect: Connection refused
ftp>

/etc/vsftp.conf file

listen=YES
anonymous_enable=NO
local_enable=YES
write_enable=YES
#local_umask=022
#anon_upload_enable=YES
#anon_mkdir_write_enable=YES
#dirmessage_enable=YES
use_localtime=YES
xferlog_enable=YES
connect_from_port_20=YES
#chown_uploads=YES
#chown_username=whoever
#xferlog_file=/var/log/vsftpd.log
#xferlog_std_format=YES
#idle_session_timeout=600
#data_connection_timeout=120
#nopriv_user=ftpsecure
#ftpd_banner=Welcome to blah FTP service.
#deny_email_enable=YES
#banned_email_file=/etc/vsftpd.banned_emails
# chroot_list_enable below.
# chroot_local_user=YES
chroot_local_user=YES
chroot_list_enable=NO
#chroot_list_file=/etc/vsftpd.chroot_list
ssl_enable=YES
allow_anon_ssl=NO
force_local_data_ssl=YES
force_local_logins_ssl=YES
ssl_tlsv1=YES
ssl_sslv2=YES
ssl_sslv3=YES
# Filezilla uses port 21 if you don't set any port
# in Servertype "FTPES - FTP over explicit TLS/SSL"
# Port 990 is the default used for FTPS protocol.
# Uncomment it if you want/have to use port 990.
#listen_port=990
secure_chroot_dir=/var/run/vsftpd/empty
pam_service_name=ftp
rsa_cert_file=/etc/ssl/certs/ssl-cert-snakeoil.pem
max_clients=2
hide_ids=YES
guest_enable=YES
guest_username=ftp
user_config_dir=/etc/vsftpd/vusers

[benkoburger]

I have tried following this tutorial on 9.10 but I can't get access to the ftp-files folder I created or access using ftp localhost.

I've got the same problem here... Any suggestions?

B

[DVDPSR]

Hi guys. I am getting the same problem when I upgraded from 9.04. The server seemed to be running fine before now I don't have access to the ftp folder.

[LiQuidAiR]

Hi guys. I am getting the same problem when I upgraded from 9.04. The server seemed to be running fine before now I don't have access to the ftp folder.

What type of error msgs are you receiving? What ftp client are you using to connect to vsftpd?

Did you check your log files for errors? If so, what do they say about the connection attempt?

[LiQuidAiR]

I have tried following this tutorial on 9.10 but I can't get access to the ftp-files folder I created or access using ftp localhost.

I have posted the terminal session from the install and configuration and my /etc/vsftp.conf file, I would be grateful if someone could look at these and let me know what i have done wrong?

Terminal session info:

home@server:~$ sudo apt-get install vsftpd
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed
  vsftpd
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/144kB of archives.
After this operation, 475kB of additional disk space will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously deselected package vsftpd.
(Reading database ... 64489 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking vsftpd (from .../vsftpd_2.2.0-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb) ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Setting up vsftpd (2.2.0-1ubuntu1) ...
update-rc.d: warning: vsftpd stop runlevel arguments (0 1 6) do not match LSB Default-Stop values (1)
 * Starting FTP server: vsftpd                                                                       [ OK ] 

home@server:~$ sudo cp /etc/vsftpd.conf /etc/vsftpd.conf.original
home@server:~$ sudo nano /etc/vsftpd.conf
home@server:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/vsftpd restart
 * Stopping FTP server: vsftpd                                                                                                                 [ OK ] 
 * Starting FTP server: vsftpd                                                                                                                 [ OK ] 
home@server:~$ sudo useradd -d /home/ftp-files ftp-users
home@server:~$ sudo mkdir /home/ftp-files
home@server:~$ sudo chown ftp-users /home/ftp-files
home@server:~$ sudo mkdir /etc/vsftpd
home@server:~$ sudo mkdir /etc/vsftpd/vusers
home@server:~$ sudo nano /etc/vsftpd.conf
home@server:~$ sudo nano /etc/pam.d/ftp
home@server:~$ sudo nano logins.txt
home@server:~$ sudo apt-get install db4.2-util
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libdb4.2
The following NEW packages will be installed
  db4.2-util libdb4.2
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 486kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,266kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
Get: 1 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main libdb4.2 4.2.52+dfsg-5 [416kB]
Get: 2 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe db4.2-util 4.2.52+dfsg-5 [70.7kB]
Fetched 486kB in 0s (607kB/s)    
Selecting previously deselected package libdb4.2.
(Reading database ... 64542 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libdb4.2 (from .../libdb4.2_4.2.52+dfsg-5_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package db4.2-util.
Unpacking db4.2-util (from .../db4.2-util_4.2.52+dfsg-5_amd64.deb) ...
Setting up libdb4.2 (4.2.52+dfsg-5) ...
Setting up db4.2-util (4.2.52+dfsg-5) ...
home@server:~$ sudo db4.2_load -T -t hash -f logins.txt /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd_login.db
home@server:~$ sudo chmod 600 /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd_login.db
home@server:~$ sudo chmod 600 logins.txt
home@server:~$ sudo nano /etc/vsftpd/ftp-users
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user1
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user2
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user3
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user4
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user5
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user6
home@server:~$ sudo ln -s /etc/vsftpd/workers /etc/vsftpd/vusers/user7
home@server:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/vsftpd restart
 * Stopping FTP server: vsftpd                                                                                                                        No /usr/sbin/vsftpd found running; none killed.
                                                                                                                                               [ OK ]
 * Starting FTP server: vsftpd                                                                                                                 [ OK ] 
home@server:~$ ftp localhost
ftp: connect to address 127.0.0.1: Connection refused
Trying 127.0.0.1...
ftp: connect: Connection refused
ftp>

/etc/vsftp.conf file

listen=YES
anonymous_enable=NO
local_enable=YES
write_enable=YES
#local_umask=022
#anon_upload_enable=YES
#anon_mkdir_write_enable=YES
#dirmessage_enable=YES
use_localtime=YES
xferlog_enable=YES
connect_from_port_20=YES
#chown_uploads=YES
#chown_username=whoever
#xferlog_file=/var/log/vsftpd.log
#xferlog_std_format=YES
#idle_session_timeout=600
#data_connection_timeout=120
#nopriv_user=ftpsecure
#ftpd_banner=Welcome to blah FTP service.
#deny_email_enable=YES
#banned_email_file=/etc/vsftpd.banned_emails
# chroot_list_enable below.
# chroot_local_user=YES
chroot_local_user=YES
chroot_list_enable=NO
#chroot_list_file=/etc/vsftpd.chroot_list
ssl_enable=YES
allow_anon_ssl=NO
force_local_data_ssl=YES
force_local_logins_ssl=YES
ssl_tlsv1=YES
ssl_sslv2=YES
ssl_sslv3=YES
# Filezilla uses port 21 if you don't set any port
# in Servertype "FTPES - FTP over explicit TLS/SSL"
# Port 990 is the default used for FTPS protocol.
# Uncomment it if you want/have to use port 990.
#listen_port=990
secure_chroot_dir=/var/run/vsftpd/empty
pam_service_name=ftp
rsa_cert_file=/etc/ssl/certs/ssl-cert-snakeoil.pem
max_clients=2
hide_ids=YES
guest_enable=YES
guest_username=ftp
user_config_dir=/etc/vsftpd/vusers

I see one item of concern. Maybe two...

1. You have SSL enabled. If you have this type of connection then you have to supply that to using your ftp program. Doing a simple ftp o 127.0.0.1 to your server is a standard connection protocol (without ssl).

I would make sure the server can accept connections before turning on SSL.

2. It looks like, once you disable ssl, you will make the connection, but then you won't be able to modify or upload items to the ftp server directory. I believe this will occur because you are using the guest login type within your .conf file. The folders where each user has their items stored must be chown VSFTPD USER (replace VSFTPD USER with actual guest user, ftp in this case).


There is an easier way to assign new users without having to create them in vsftpd virtual user space. I can help you with that once we figure the first two things out.

[tmade]

Hello,

I´m searching since quite a while for a solution for my vsftp-server.

I´m looking for a way to enable write access just for _one_particualar shared ftp folder, but afterwards the user is not allowed to delete his uploaded file.
So the requirements are:
1. permission to upload
2. no permission to delete uploaded files.

It looks like here are some vsftp-cracks around whith a solution!?

Edit: Also a common linux solution could help to solve my problem!

Thanks
Tom

[srynonick]

hello,

i installed ubuntu 9.10 server, but there's no libdb3-util that I could install? can someone please help me with this? thanks!
(there's no libdbXXX-util, no matter which libdb version)

[philavia]

On Ubuntu 9.10, use db4.7-util instead of libdb3-util.