Well, in this article we let us setup vsftpd server with virtual users. ie. the users who don’t have local account in the FTP server itself can login to FTP server.
I assume that you already have installed and configured FTP server. If didn’t, click here
Install Berkeley Database(db4)
In this method, we use Berkeley database(db4(version4) to store virtual user names with their passwords. First install db4-utils package if it not installed:
# yum install db4-utils db4 -yCreate database file for virtual users
First create a plain text file and enter the virtual user names and their passwords one by one. Then create the db file from the plain text file.
For instance, i create a plain text file called virtual_users.txt in /home directory with username senthil and password centos:
# vi /home/virtual_users.txtAdd username and password one by one.
senthil centosSave and exit the file. Run the following command to create database file:
# db_load -T -t hash -f /home/virtual_users.txt /etc/vsftpd/virtual_users.dbHere virtual.db is the actual database file for virtual users.
Create a PAM file
Now create a PAM file to use the database virtual_users.db which we created from the plain text file. Create a file /etc/pam.d/vsftpd_virtual,
# vi /etc/pam.d/vsftpd_virtualAdd the following lines:
#%PAM-1.0 auth required pam_userdb.so db=/etc/vsftpd/virtual_users account required pam_userdb.so db=/etc/vsftpd/virtual_users session required pam_loginuid.soSave and exit the file.
vsftpd configuration
Edit file /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf,
# vi /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.confMake sure that you have added or edited the following lines as shown below:
# Allow anonymous FTP? (Beware - allowed by default if you comment this out). anonymous_enable=NO # Uncomment this to allow local users to log in. local_enable=YES ## Enable virtual users guest_enable=YES ## Virtual users will use the same permissions as anonymous virtual_use_local_privs=YES # # Uncomment this to enable any form of FTP write command. write_enable=YES ## PAM file name pam_service_name=vsftpd_virtual ## Home Directory for virtual users user_sub_token=$USER local_root=/ftp/virtual/$USER # 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 ## Hide ids from user hide_ids=YESSave and exit the file.
Now create home directories for virtual users:
# mkdir -p /ftp/virtual/senthil # chown -R ftp:ftp /ftp/virtual/senthil/Start or restart vsftpd service:
# service vsftpd restartNow try to login to FTP server using virtual user senthil with password centos:
# ftp 192.168.1.101 Connected to 192.168.1.101 (192.168.1.101). 220 Welcome to UNIXMEN FTP service. Name (192.168.1.101:root): senthil 331 Please specify the password. Password: 230 Login successful. Remote system type is UNIX. Using binary mode to transfer files. ftp>Now you will able to login to FTP server with user senthil since i didn’t create any user called senthil.
Verify the log files using the following command:
# tail -f /var/log/secureSample output:
Jan 14 10:11:11 server vsftpd[3557]: pam_userdb(vsftpd_virtual:auth): user 'senthil' granted accessLogin via your browser
Open web browser and navigate to ftp://ip-address/ and enter the virtual username and password.
Now you will able to connect to FTP server.
