[lug] How to set up a private FTP account for a user?

[Hugh Brown]

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006, Bill Thoen wrote:

> I've got a need to provide upload/download FTP service for one of my
> clients, and I'm not sure how to go about it. I've got a RedHat FC2
> server set up with vsftpd, and I have set up a public FTP download
> service on it that works very well. However, I would like to allow
> specific users passworded access to some private areas and allow them to
> upload and download files via FTP. I don't want to allow them program
> execution, email, and other privileges that would go along with a normal
> new user account.
>
> I've searched Google and and the docs and man pages, but I'm afraid I
> don't know exactly what I'm looking for. Most of these resources simply
> describe settings, but they don't say when and how you would use them to
> do what I want to do. (Or maybe I'm just too thick to recognize the
> obvious.)
>
> I'm also aware that FTP is not the most secure transfer protocol because
> passwords are sent in the clear, but I'd like to learn how to do this
> with vsftp anyway and worry about additional applications later (One
> thing a time.)
>
> Can anyone suggest a HOWTO or a README or maybe just tell me how to do this?
>
> Thanks,
> - Bill Thoen
>

I believe chroot is useful for limiting program execution etc (as well as
the other things noted already).

Hugh