vsftp - can browse but cannot put

Tue Jan 10 18:10:31 UTC 2006

On Tue, 2006-01-10 at 09:52 -0800, Bret Stern wrote:
> I can connect and browse to vsftp on FC4, but cannot
> put files.

You can only upload files to directories you have write access to.  By
"you", I mean the user you logged into FTP as.

> Ideally, I would like to only allow a specific system user
> (not root) to login and put files.
> 
> Suggestions.. here's my vsftpd.conf.
> 
> Thank you
> 
> Bret Stern
> 
> # Example config file /etc/vsftpd/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.
> #
> # 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
> #
> # Uncomment this to enable any form of FTP write command.
> 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.
> #uncommented 12-23-2005 bret stern
> anon_upload_enable=YES

Why do you have this enabled when you have "anonymous_enable" disabled?
If you want anonymous FTP, do you really understand how to set that up?
If you don't, then I'd either comment this out or set it to "NO".

> #
> # 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
> #
> # 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=whoever
> #
> # 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
> 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=ftpsecure
> #
> # 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 turning on ascii_download_enable enables malicious remote
> parties
> # to consume your I/O resources, by issuing the command "SIZE /big/file" in
> # ASCII mode.
> # These ASCII options are split into upload and download because you may
> wish
> # to enable ASCII uploads (to prevent uploaded scripts etc. from breaking),
> # without the DoS risk of SIZE and ASCII downloads. ASCII mangling should be
> # on the client anyway..
> #ascii_upload_enable=YES
> #ascii_download_enable=YES
> #
> # You may fully customise the login banner string:
> #ftpd_banner=Tracert has recorded your login map
> #
> # 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 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_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
> 
> pam_service_name=vsftpd
> userlist_enable=YES
> #enable for standalone mode
> listen=YES
> tcp_wrappers=YES

Ok, what do you have in your /etc/vsftpd.user_list file?  It should
contain the usernames that are allowed to use FTP, one per line.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-                       When in doubt, mumble.                       -
----------------------------------------------------------------------