Need help setting up a unpriveleged FTP only user.
 

I'm setting up a ftp server using vsftpd. I've read tutorials, and browsed the developer pages, but theres a couple things I just can't find.

In the config file, there is an option "nopriv_user=ftpsecure", and it says it is recommended you define on the system a unique user who is totally isolated and unpriveledged. In addition I obviously want to do this because I know ftp passwords are sent in clear text.

However I'm just not totally sure how to do this, and worried if I just go guessing, I'll miss some detail and leave a gaping security hole. Can anyone help me out on what I need to do to accomplish this?

The primary purpose of this FTP server is because I have some security camera software, which has an option to ftp upload backup copies of recorded events. I am unlikely to ever access ftp this remotely. If I need to access the files remotely, I would do so via sftp instead. So basically all I need to do is just set up this server to accept files from a local machine, with only one unprivileged user (in case their plain text password is ever compromised), and secured from anything else other than putting files in a isolated directory.

Have you gone into /etc/group yet, and defined the user in there?

If not, try this:

From a command line, as root user, type:

Find the user ftp and next to that, type in your user's name. Hit "alt+x" and select "Y" and then hit ENTER.