ssh / ssl ftp server
 

Hi,

I was hoping someone could clear some things up for me.

I have vsftpd running and configured to use SSL. This works fine, clients can logon through SSL and will be rejected without. But now I recently discovered that I can also logon to my ftp server through SSH. How does this work because I don't recal configuring the server for sftp.

Also, which of the two would be more secure?

Thanks,
Robbert

In other words, it has nothing to do with your FTP server. It requires SSH access on your box and they can use those credentials to use it like a FTP account.
More information here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSH_file_transfer_protocol

About security, I'd say SFTP is more secure since it's based on SSH's security.
But, it's not as easy to use I guess as a FTP daemon.

Hi simonapnic,

Thanks for your reply!

OK I definitally misunderstoot the wiekies cuz I thought they said sftp is ssh over ftp. Must have read it with to much rush. Anyway thanks for clearing that up.

So in other words you are saying I don't have to install a FTP server like vsftpd to connect to my server through sftp. They only thing is that it isn't a "real" ftp connection it only looks like one (GUI)? What is the difference between sftp and ftp?

What advantages will I have using vsftpd (with SSL) above sftp?

Best regards,
Robbert

Just incase you want to disable it, drop this line from sshd_config

Its kind of synonymous to ftp over ssh, as in it does the same job, but completely different protocol.

Wanted to reply but i think you got the best of replies already !!
Let us know incase any issues mate.

Cheers
Ash

Hi,

Thanks to everyone who replied!

I guess if you don't really need special features during ftp sessions, sftp is a fine solution? Its save and doesn't require any extra deamon to run. Only thing is you will have to install a sftp client instead of the (standard) ftp client.

Thanks again!

Best regards,
Robbert