Howto: Easy FTP with vsftpd

[Return Privacy]

What? I don't understand what a virtual user is at all. I just need to setup this to allow 2 specific users on 2 other computers on my home network, to Upload files to the FTP server.
Right now I am just having them log in to the FTP server as the Admin user of the FTP Ubuntu computer. I know that can't be safe at all, as it gives them full access to the Ubuntu FTP computer.

[Redsandro]

That's where virtual users come in handy. They are users that are not real users on the system.

For example, you can have 'bob' and 'clara' log into your ftp server, while in reality they log in as user 'ftp'.

http://howto.gumph.org/content/setup...ies-in-vsftpd/

[skaramanger]

I'm trying to get vsftpd working again for me. Last year, I had a crash and lost all my configuration for vsftpd. Recently, I decided to give it a try again. I'm currently running Kubuntu 12.04 kernel 3.2.0-27-generic. I installed vsftpd from the repos and commenced to duplicate my previous configuration gleened from my posts here in this thread.

I've gotten to a point that vsftpd starts and doesn't crash :/. I cannot login I get the old 530 error regarding non-anonymous users must use encryption.

~$ ftp localhost
Connected to localhost.
220 Welcome to Tz FTP service.
Name (localhost:me): Mr_T
530 Non-anonymous sessions must use encryption.
Login failed.
ftp>

# Current config file /etc/vsftpd.conf
#
# The default compiled in settings are fairly paranoid. This sample file
# loosens things up a bit, to make the ftp daemon more usable.
# Please see vsftpd.conf.5 for all compiled in defaults.
#
# READ THIS: This example file is NOT an exhaustive list of vsftpd options.
# Please read the vsftpd.conf.5 manual page to get a full idea of vsftpd's
# capabilities.
#
#
# Run standalone?  vsftpd can run either from an inetd or as a standalone
# daemon started from an initscript.
listen=YES
#
# Run standalone with IPv6?
# Like the listen parameter, except vsftpd will listen on an IPv6 socket
# instead of an IPv4 one. This parameter and the listen parameter are mutually
# exclusive. 
#listen_ipv6=YES
#
# Allow anonymous FTP? (Disabled by default)
anonymous_enable=NO
#
# Uncomment this to allow local users to log in.
local_enable=YES
#
# Uncomment this to enable any form of FTP write command.
virtual_use_local_privs=YES
write_enable=YES
#
# Default umask for local users is 077. You may wish to change this to 022,
# if your users expect that (022 is used by most other ftpd's)
local_umask=022
#
# Uncomment this to allow the anonymous FTP user to upload files. This only
# has an effect if the above global write enable is activated. Also, you will
# obviously need to create a directory writable by the FTP user.
#anon_upload_enable=YES
#
# Uncomment this if you want the anonymous FTP user to be able to create
# new directories.
#anon_mkdir_write_enable=YES
#
# Activate directory messages - messages given to remote users when they
# go into a certain directory.
dirmessage_enable=YES
#
# If enabled, vsftpd will display directory listings with the time
# in  your  local  time  zone.  The default is to display GMT. The
# times returned by the MDTM FTP command are also affected by this
# option.
use_localtime=YES
#
# Activate logging of uploads/downloads.
xferlog_enable=YES
#
# Make sure PORT transfer connections originate from port 20 (ftp-data).
connect_from_port_20=YES
#
# If you want, you can arrange for uploaded anonymous files to be owned by 
# a different user. Note! Using "root" for uploaded files is not
# recommended!
# chown_uploads=YES
# chown_username=terryg
#
# You may override where the log file goes if you like. The default is shown
# below.
xferlog_file=/var/log/vsftpd.log
#
# If you want, you can have your log file in standard ftpd xferlog format.
# Note that the default log file location is /var/log/xferlog in this case.
xferlog_std_format=YES
#
# You may change the default value for timing out an idle session.
idle_session_timeout=600
#
# You may change the default value for timing out a data connection.
#data_connection_timeout=120
#
# It is recommended that you define on your system a unique user which the
# ftp server can use as a totally isolated and unprivileged user.
# nopriv_user=ftp
#
# Enable this and the server will recognise asynchronous ABOR requests. Not
# recommended for security (the code is non-trivial). Not enabling it,
# however, may confuse older FTP clients.
#async_abor_enable=YES
#
# By default the server will pretend to allow ASCII mode but in fact ignore
# the request. Turn on the below options to have the server actually do ASCII
# mangling on files when in ASCII mode.
# Beware that on some FTP servers, ASCII support allows a denial of service
# attack (DoS) via the command "SIZE /big/file" in ASCII mode. vsftpd
# predicted this attack and has always been safe, reportin g the size of the
# raw file.
# ASCII mangling is a horrible feature of the protocol.
#ascii_upload_enable=YES
#ascii_download_enable=YES
#
# You may fully customise the login banner string:
ftpd_banner=Welcome to Tz FTP service.
#
# You may specify a file of disallowed anonymous e-mail addresses. Apparently
# useful for combatting certain DoS attacks.
#deny_email_enable=YES
# (default follows)
#banned_email_file=/etc/vsftpd.banned_emails
#
# You may restrict local users to their home directories.  See the FAQ for
# the possible risks in this before using chroot_local_user or
# chroot_list_enable below.
#chroot_local_user=YES
#chroot_list_enable=NO
##
# You may specify an explicit list of local users to chroot() to their home
# directory. If chroot_local_user is YES, then this list becomes a list of
# users to NOT chroot().
#chroot_local_user=YES
#chroot_list_enable=YES
# (default follows)
#chroot_list_file=/etc/vsftpd.chroot_list
#
# You may activate the "-R" option to the builtin ls. This is disabled by
# default to avoid remote users being able to cause excessive I/O on large
# sites. However, some broken FTP clients such as "ncftp" and "mirror" assume
# the presence of the "-R" option, so there is a strong case for enabling it.
#ls_recurse_enable=YES
#
# Debian customization
#
# Some of vsftpd's settings don't fit the Debian filesystem layout by
# default.  These settings are more Debian-friendly.
#
# This option should be the name of a directory which is empty.  Also, the
# directory should not be writable by the ftp user. This directory is used
# as a secure chroot() jail at times vsftpd does not require filesystem
# access.
secure_chroot_dir=/var/run/vsftpd/empty
#
# This string is the name of the PAM service vsftpd will use.
pam_service_name=vsftpd.virtual
#
# This option specifies the location of the RSA certificate to use for SSL
# encrypted connections.
rsa_cert_file=/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.pem
# This option specifies the location of the RSA key file to use for SSL
# encrypted connections.
# rsa_private_key_file=/etc/ssl/private/ssl-cert-snakeoil.key
# 
# If I uncomment the above, ftp denies connection out right.

# Mods from: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=3138955
#
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
listen_port=21
# Show hidden files and the "." and ".." folders.
# Useful to not write over hidden files:
force_dot_files=YES
# Hide the info about the owner (user and group) of the files.
hide_ids=YES
# Connection limit for each IP:
max_per_ip=2
# Maximum number of clients:
max_clients=2
#
# Enable (only) guests.
guest_enable=YES
# This is not needed, it's the default. Just here for clarity.
guest_username=ftp
# Where the guests (virtual) usernames are set.
user_config_dir=/etc/vsftpd/vusers
pasv_min_port=12000
pasv_max_port=12100
#check_shell=NO
debug_ssl=YES
log_ftp_protocol=YES
pasv_address=192.168.1.120
pasv_promiscuous=YES
pasv_enable=YES

The above is virtually the same as last years.

$ cat /etc/pam.d/ftp
auth required /lib/security/pam_userdb.so db=/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd_login
account required /lib/security/pam_userdb.so db=/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd_login
$

~$ cat /etc/vsftpd/workers
write_enable=YES
anon_mkdir_write_enable=YES
anon_other_write_enable=YES
anon_upload_enable=YES
local_root=/home/work/$USER
chroot_local_user=YES
dirlist_enable=YES
download_enable=YES
guest_username=workers
~$

I've got ports 21 and 20 forwarded on my router to my local ip address. I opened ports on my local firewall 20,21,12000-12100. So if some kind fellow user might assist me with this issue I would be ubunturnally grateful.

[sunnytuladhar]

Hi,

I have one problem regarding vsftpd. Suppose if I upload a file name "abc.txt" and I edited that file and again reupload the same file it will ask "do you want to overwrite the same file"

I dont want this message to come. if an user uploads file that exist in server, he should be able to upload the file without any notification.

what should I change at server end?

Note: want to change at server end only.

Thanks in advance...

[ikester8]

I've got the oddest problem. vsftpd will let me see most directories, but not all. Here is an example of a successful and an unsuccessful dirlist:

Command:	CWD /Pictures
Response:	250 Directory successfully changed.
Command:	PWD
Response:	257 "/Pictures"
Command:	PASV
Response:	227 Entering Passive Mode (67,191,236,175,103,178).
Command:	LIST -a
Response:	150 Here comes the directory listing.
Response:	226 Directory send OK.
Status:	Directory listing successful
Status:	Retrieving directory listing...
Command:	CWD /Documents
Response:	250 Directory successfully changed.
Command:	PASV
Response:	227 Entering Passive Mode (67,191,236,175,98,227).
Command:	LIST -a
Response:	150 Here comes the directory listing.
Error:	Connection timed out
Error:	Failed to retrieve directory listing

Here is my vsftpd.conf:

# Put in /etc/vsftpd.conf
listen=YES
anonymous_enable=YES
local_enable=YES
write_enable=YES
anon_upload_enable=YES
anon_mkdir_write_enable=YES
dirmessage_enable=YES
xferlog_enable=YES
connect_from_port_20=YES
chown_uploads=YES
ftpd_banner=Welcome to Ike's FTP service.
secure_chroot_dir=/var/run/vsftpd
pam_service_name=vsftpd
rsa_cert_file=/etc/ssl/certs/vsftpd.pem
anon_root=/home/ftp
chroot_local_user=YES

Any thoughts? I really need to see my Documents folder when I'm out of town.

Thanks!

[jumbarger]

There is nothing"easy" or "simple" about setting up this FTP server.

12 pages of discussion on setup, no GUI, the necessity of customizing code... After hours and hours of trying to solve the problem of how to access my files remotely (VPN, VNC, FTP, etc.), I am ready to give up.

Does anyone know of a genuinely "simple" FTP server. By "simple" I mean GUI, no custom coding, intuitive setup requiring little/no help, server smart enough to figure some things out on its own and let me use buttons and toggles for the rest.

I want it on Ubuntu, I want open source, and I want it for free.

[RaHorakhty]

I hear ya! Check out the following sites...

https://www.digitalocean.com/communi...n-ubuntu-12-04

http://howto.gumph.org/content/setup...ies-in-vsftpd/

http://www.hosting.com/support/linux...sers-for-vsftp

Hrs of head scratching and I'm still stuck....

[tulong211]

Hi Everybody!

I can't install libdb3-util package with : sudo apt-get install libdb3-util. I try research for libdb3-util but It's no available. I can't continue install FTP

My OS : Ubuntu 12.04 Lts 64bit.

[Birdman2010]

There is nothing"easy" or "simple" about setting up this FTP server.

12 pages of discussion on setup, no GUI, the necessity of customizing code... After hours and hours of trying to solve the problem of how to access my files remotely (VPN, VNC, FTP, etc.), I am ready to give up.

Does anyone know of a genuinely "simple" FTP server. By "simple" I mean GUI, no custom coding, intuitive setup requiring little/no help, server smart enough to figure some things out on its own and let me use buttons and toggles for the rest.

I want it on Ubuntu, I want open source, and I want it for free.

I found this website: http://systembash.com/content/evalua...tpd-vs-vsftpd/

According to this website, you should only use vsftpd if you have many servers to manage. In addition, the author recommends ProFTPd for someone who wants a simple GUI solution. I haven't tried ProFTPd. I'm still trying to get vsftpd to work. However, I feel your frustration with vsftpd. I'm there too. Since I am on Page 12 of a "Easy FTP with vsftpd" thread, I think that my next step is to use ProFTPd.

Here is wishing us good luck with ProFTPd!

[ssaththiyan]

Hi,
I have to configure a FTP server using VSFTPD as like this, There will be multiple ftp users and each ftp users should see only their home directory, Other directories should not visible , may be they can see another public directory which is shared to all ftp users. How do i do this in ubuntu/linux with vsftpd?

Please help me,