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How To Install and Configure VSFTPD on Ubuntu 14.04

Install and Configure VSFTPD on Ubuntu 14.04

In this tutorial, we will show you how to install and configure vsftpd on your Ubuntu 14.04. For those of you who didn’t know, FTP stands for “file transfer protocol”, and it allows you to transfer files to a remote computer. The most common FTP server software for Ubuntu is the vsftpd package, which stands for “very secure FTP daemon.” It’s the default FTP package for Ubuntu, and most other Linux distributions as well.

This article assumes you have at least basic knowledge of Linux, know how to use the shell, and most importantly, you host your site on your own VPS. The installation is quite simple. I will show you the step-by-step installation vsftpd on Ubuntu 14.04.

Prerequisites

  • A server running one of the following operating systems: Ubuntu 14.04, and any other Debian-based distribution like Linux Mint or elementary OS.
  • It’s recommended that you use a fresh OS install to prevent any potential issues.
  • SSH access to the server (or just open Terminal if you’re on a desktop).
  • A non-root sudo user or access to the root user. We recommend acting as a non-root sudo user, however, as you can harm your system if you’re not careful when acting as the root.

Install and Configure VSFTPD on Ubuntu 14.04

Step 1. Installing and Configure VSFTPD on Ubuntu 14.04

Now we install vsftpd (Very Secure FTP Deamon) package using the following command:

sudo apt-get install vsftpd

Step 2. Configure vsftpd.

Let’s edit the configuration file for vsftpd:

#nano /etc/vsftpd.conf

listen=YES
anonymous_enable=NO
local_enable=YES
write_enable=YES
local_umask=022
nopriv_user=vsftpd
virtual_use_local_privs=YES
guest_enable=YES
user_sub_token=$USER
chroot_local_user=YES
hide_ids=YES
guest_username=vsftpd

Step 3. Creating and applying the SSL certificate.

Let’s go and create our encryption key or certificate to use to connect to the server. First, create a folder that will be used to store the keys.

mkdir /etc/ssl/certificates

Then run the commands below to create the encryption key that will last for 365 days.

sudo openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout /etc/ssl/certificates/vsftpd.pem -out /etc/ssl/certificates/vsftpd.pem

Once creating the key, go and change add and change these parameters in the default VSFTPD configuration file.

#nano /etc/vsftpd.conf

rsa_cert_file=/etc/ssl/certificates/vsftpd.pem
rsa_private_key_file=/etc/ssl/certificates/vsftpd.pem
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
require_ssl_reuse=NO
ssl_ciphers=HIGH

Step 4. Restart the vsftpd service.

service vsftpd restart

Step 5. Configuring user access.

With the vsftpd FTP server, you have the option to leave the FTP service authentication for only anonymous access or you can allow users, defined in /etc/passwd or in the relevant access list, to log in.

Step 6. Configure the user’s home directory.

With a certain version of vsftpd you may receive the following error: 500 OOPS: vsftpd: refusing to run with writable root inside chroot(). Not to worry! Create a new directory for the user receiving the error (idroot in this case) that is a subdirectory of their home directory (/home/idroot). For example:

Fix permissions for idroot home directory:

chmod a-w /home/idroot/

Make a new directory for uploading files:

mkdir /home/idroot/files
chown idroot:idroot /home/idroot/files/

Congratulations! You have successfully installed vsftpd. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing vsftpd in Ubuntu 14.04 system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official vsftpd website.

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r00t

r00t is an experienced Linux enthusiast and technical writer with a passion for open-source software. With years of hands-on experience in various Linux distributions, r00t has developed a deep understanding of the Linux ecosystem and its powerful tools. He holds certifications in SCE and has contributed to several open-source projects. r00t is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and expertise through well-researched and informative articles, helping others navigate the world of Linux with confidence.
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