How to setup SFTP server on Ubuntu (Desktop) 20.04 | How to restrict an user to only SFTP

Let us get into the steps – running all the commands in terminal

Step 1 : Install OpenSSH package if not installed

sudo apt install openssh-server

Step 2 : Create separate group for SFTP users.

sudo addgroup sftpgroup

Step 3 : Edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config file and make changes as below. I will be using the vim editor

Find and comment below line.

# Subsystem sftp /usr/lib/openssh/sftp-server

After commenting i saved the file, now again

and add these lines to the end of the file.

Subsystem sftp internal-sftp

Match group sftpgroup

ChrootDirectory %h

X11Forwarding no

AllowTcpForwarding no

ForceCommand internal-sftp

Step 4 : Restart sshd service.

sudo service ssh restart

Step 5 : Add user with ftpaccess group and create password.

sudo adduser sftpuser --ingroup sftpgroup --shell /usr/sbin/nologin

Step 6 : Modify home directory permission.

sudo chown root:root /home/sftpuser

Step 7 : Create a directory inside home for upload and modify permission with group.

sudo mkdir /home/sftpuser/sftpdir

sudo chown sftpuser:sftpgroup /home/sftpuser/sftpdir

[Dainish]

man youtube is still the best place to find fixes. this is an awesome video!

[toetoeag]

It is helpful perfectly. But I changed the sftp port as 2200 and opened port in inbound rule. It worked! Thank you.

[crayyx]

wow very helpful my friend. Thank you very much!

[Oneplusfonti]

Worked perfectly for me - many thanks!

[omarpinuelas]

Something change during the time. I did the extact steps but when I try to do a "ls", I get this error: remote readdir("/"): Permission denied

[ydiadi_]

how to access files remotely, ? i mean if I am away from home network ? also how to add custom path to my external HDD

[cloudway]

Authentication log (see session log for details):
Using username "sftpuser".
Server refused our key.

Authentication failed.

[nidheeshnle]

How can i give user to only download and only upload like this permision in sftp server? kindly help

[rozowapianka]

Im getting an error after trying to login into the SFTP on WinSCP. Permission denied. Error code: 3, Error message from server: Permission denied.

[_uzyr]

how can i access putty configuration ?

[philh]

dont ever do this, if you only have ssh access to your server. it will lock you out

[Treybal.]

can i connetect outside my local network with this?

[ramecesmagsisi]

erro after edit sshd_config. cant login

[hghpower]

Will this affect me if im using a protected public key .cert to log in via putty? if i add my user to stfpuser group etc..?