Restrict FTP user to a directory

Question

On a Ubuntu 11.04 server, I want to restrict a user to a specific directory (so he can't access the parents' directory) for FTP/ssh. I created the user with adduser username and changed the target directory with usermod -d /home/path/to/directory username. This worked perfectly.

From what I found I have to modify a /etc/ftp/ftpaccess file but the file (and the ftp) directory does not exist. I tried creating it but it didn't change anything. Also I only want to restrict this user and not the others.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

The best way, is to use SFTP from SSH and jail the user.

in file: /etc/ssh/sshd_config

make sure this line is uncomented:

Subsystem sftp internal-sftp

Then configure the rule to match a group:

Match group sftponly
         ChrootDirectory /home/%u
         X11Forwarding no
         AllowTcpForwarding no
         ForceCommand internal-sftp

and lastly manage the users:

# chown root.root /home/user
# usermod -d / user
# adduser user sftponly

Source: http://www.debian-administration.org/articles/590

Answer 2

A bit late in the day but it may help others in the future. I installed VSFTPD and edited the configuration file vsftpd.conf so it includes:-

chroot_local_user=YES
allow_writeable_chroot=YES

You need to restart the service after editings:-

service vsftpd restart

The FTP Users are restricted to Home Directory specified when adding them.

Answer 3

You need to install a FTP Server first! Read the documentation:

• https://help.ubuntu.com/community/FtpServer

You need to chose one of the FTP Servers in the comment ↓.. Or if you have already installed SSH you can use SFTP.. To do this, just on your FTP client type:

• Host: sftp://ssh_server_hostname_or_ip
• login:your_ssh_server_user_name
• pass: your_ssh_server_user_password

You'll be able to r/w on all the directories that belong to your ssh user

Answer 4

add a guestuser option to the ftpaccess file in the /etc directory