HOWTO : Create a FTP server with user access (proftpd)

[reehan10]

hey thanks a lot...donw with the ftp server n its working fine...
just one more thing...cant i access ftp server by name..i mean i m accessing it by ftp://ipaddr...cnt i do by instead a name???
pls do reply

[frodon]

If you wish a domain name there're some free domain name services available on internet the most known i think is dyndns. So you create a dmain name on dyndns then it will point on your IP, if you have a dynamic IP then use one of the scripts available to refresh your domain name automatically.

There's some infos a the end of the first post.

[splendid]

Installed filezilla. Tried logging in and I am getting a 500 Auth error.
I have FTPES selected. Tried the account and interactive options. No dice.

Any thoughts, or more info on configuration for filezilla. I followed the directions and am assuming that TLS is setup properly.

Thanks,

Splendid

[frodon]

Did you try with the computer running the server ?

If you tweaked you proftp config please post your proftpd.conf file so i can check it.

[qrwe]

It should me mentioned that Webmin has pretty good support for proftpd configuration.

[frodon]

Webmin is like other automatic configuration tools, like gproftpd though gproftpd tends to be more powerful, it can't do all and won't give you the result you expect if you don't put interest in getting some minimum FTP knowledge.
Webmin won't for example handle your FTP user creation, directory rights.

Even if these are interesting tools nothing is better than real knowledge

[splendid]

Frodon, Attached is proftpd.conf as requested.

Thanks,

Splendid



c/proftpd/proftpd.conf -- This is a basic ProFTPD configuration file.
# To really apply changes reload proftpd after modifications.
#

# Includes DSO modules
Include /etc/proftpd/modules.conf

# Set off to disable IPv6 support which is annoying on IPv4 only boxes.
UseIPv6 on

Include /etc/proftpd/modules.conf

ServerName "basement"
ServerType standalone
DeferWelcome off

MultilineRFC2228 on
DefaultServer on
ShowSymlinks off

TimeoutNoTransfer 600
TimeoutStalled 600
TimeoutIdle 1200

DisplayLogin welcome.msg
DisplayFirstChdir .message
ListOptions "-l"

DenyFilter \*.*/

# Use this to jail all users in their homes
# DefaultRoot ~

# Users require a valid shell listed in /etc/shells to login.
# Use this directive to release that constrain.
# RequireValidShell off

# Port 21 is the standard FTP port.
Port 21

# In some cases you have to specify passive ports range to by-pass
# firewall limitations. Ephemeral ports can be used for that, but
# feel free to use a more narrow range.
# PassivePorts 49152 65534

# If your host was NATted, this option is useful in order to
# allow passive tranfers to work. You have to use your public
# address and opening the passive ports used on your firewall as well.
# MasqueradeAddress 1.2.3.4

# To prevent DoS attacks, set the maximum number of child processes
# to 30. If you need to allow more than 30 concurrent connections
# at once, simply increase this value. Note that this ONLY works
# in standalone mode, in inetd mode you should use an inetd server
# that allows you to limit maximum number of processes per service
# (such as xinetd)
MaxInstances 30

# Set the user and group that the server normally runs at.
User proftpd
Group nogroup

# Umask 022 is a good standard umask to prevent new files and dirs
# (second parm) from being group and world writable.
Umask 022 022
# Normally, we want files to be overwriteable.
AllowOverwrite on

# Uncomment this if you are using NIS or LDAP to retrieve passwords:
# PersistentPasswd off

# Be warned: use of this directive impacts CPU average load!
# Uncomment this if you like to see progress and transfer rate with ftpwho
# in downloads. That is not needed for uploads rates.
#
# UseSendFile off

# Choose a SQL backend among MySQL or PostgreSQL.
# Both modules are loaded in default configuration, so you have to specify the backend
# or comment out the unused module in /etc/proftpd/modules.conf.
# Use 'mysql' or 'postgres' as possible values.
#
#<IfModule mod_sql.c>
# SQLBackend mysql
#</IfModule>

TransferLog /var/log/proftpd/xferlog
SystemLog /var/log/proftpd/proftpd.log

<IfModule mod_tls.c>
TLSEngine on
TLSLog /var/ftpd/tls.log
TLSProtocol TLSv1

# Are clients required to use FTP over TLS when talking to this server?
TLSRequired on
# Server's certificate
TLSRSACertificateFile /etc/ftpcert/server.crt
TLSrsaCertificateKeyFile /etc/ftpcert/server.key

# CA the server trusts
TLSCACertificateFile /etc/ftpcert/ca.crt

# Authenticate clients that want to use FTP over TLS?
TLSVerifyClient off
</IfModule>


<IfModule mod_quota.c>
QuotaEngine on
</IfModule>

<IfModule mod_ratio.c>
Ratios on
</IfModule>


# Delay engine reduces impact of the so-called Timing Attack described in
# http://security.lss.hr/index.php?pag...LSS-2004-10-02
# It is on by default.
<IfModule mod_delay.c>
DelayEngine on
</IfModule>

<IfModule mod_ctrls.c>
ControlsEngine on
ControlsMaxClients 2
ControlsLog /var/log/proftpd/controls.log
ControlsInterval 5
ControlsSocket /var/run/proftpd/proftpd.sock
</IfModule>

<IfModule mod_ctrls_admin.c>
AdminControlsEngine on
</IfModule>

# A basic anonymous configuration, no upload directories.

# <Anonymous ~ftp>
# User ftp
# Group nogroup
# # We want clients to be able to login with "anonymous" as well as "ftp"
# UserAlias anonymous ftp
# # Cosmetic changes, all files belongs to ftp user
# DirFakeUser on ftp
# DirFakeGroup on ftp
#
# RequireValidShell off
#
# # Limit the maximum number of anonymous logins
# MaxClients 10
#
# # We want 'welcome.msg' displayed at login, and '.message' displayed
# # in each newly chdired directory.
# DisplayLogin welcome.msg
# DisplayFirstChdir .message
#
# # Limit WRITE everywhere in the anonymous chroot
# <Directory *>
# <Limit WRITE>
# DenyAll
# </Limit>
# </Directory>
#
# # Uncomment this if you're brave.
# # <Directory incoming>
# # # Umask 022 is a good standard umask to prevent new files and dirs
# # # (second parm) from being group and world writable.
# # Umask 022 022
# # <Limit READ WRITE>
# # DenyAll
# # </Limit>
# # <Limit STOR>
# # AllowAll
# # </Limit>
# # </Directory>
#
# </Anonymous>

[frodon]

Hum, you should give me some more details as your structure is not the one used in the tutorial. You have no <LIMIT LOGIN> section and you seem to be using the "user proftp" command to do the user restriction, in addition you have no <DIRECTORY> section and worst of the worst you are not locking the user in a directory which mean your whole system will be accessible which is really unsafe for a FTP server.
BTW you are using IPV6 for your internet connection ?

[splendid]

It was late when I was working on this. I guess maybe I did not look close enough at the proftpd.conf file in the tutorial.

I definitely was not planning to open this up and allow it too be so vulnerable. What do you suggest to do for user restriction?

Thanks for looking at this, and pointing out my deficiencies with the file. I appreciate it.

[frodon]

To limit the login no need to use "user" and "group" commands, i'm not even sure they can be used for this purpose.
Just use a <LIMIT LOGIN> section to choose what user will be able to access you FTP server (the first post config should give you a good example).
Then i think it is mandatory to lock the user in a specific directory otherwise your whole system will be accessible for this purpose use the "DefaultRoot /home/FTP-shared" command (change the directory path according to your need).
Finally to be more accurate add a directory section for each directory you wish to share so you can handle the rights on a per directory basis.