Hey, does anyone know how to create vsftpd users without creating users in /etc/passwd ? I tried reading up on userlist_enable in the man file but could not figure out how to do so.

Or is there an alternative method of setting up my ftp server so I can have multiple-user/password logins for the server such that they cannot also log into my system?

thanks in advance!

I can't answer your vsftp question since I don't use it, but you can deny Linux user accounts from access to your system by editing your /etc/passwd file and assigning them an invalid shell.

For example, this user can log in to my system via SSH or Telnet:

nobody:x:65534:65534:nobody:/nonexistent:/bin/sh

This user cannot log in:

syslog:x:101:102::/home/syslog:/bin/false

Note the last entry after the final colon (/bin/false for example). This specifies the shell. If a user has no shell, they cannot log in via SSH or telnet but (depending on your configuration) will still be able to log in via ftp.

There are different "non-valid shells" depending on your distro, but /bin/false should work for most if not all.

regarding /bin/false - aren't there security implications where users can still authenticate and port forward even though they don't get a shell?

Actually, I was thinking so as well ... not quite sure, but I remember reading something about that. So, maybe it's not the best way ...