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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Configure ProFTPD’s mod_sftp in a separate virtual host, give it an SSH/SFTP port (normally 22), define the required host keys, and test an SFTP login before removing FTP. SFTP is SSH2-based and is not the same protocol as FTPS, which remains FTP protected by TLS.
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What you are changing
ProFTPD does not turn ordinary FTP into SFTP by adding an SSL certificate. SFTP is a subsystem of SSH2, provided in ProFTPD by the mod_sftp module. FTPS is a different arrangement: it keeps FTP’s control and data channels and protects them with SSL/TLS.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →| Characteristic | SFTP with mod_sftp |
FTPS |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol stack | SSH2 | FTP plus SSL/TLS |
| Connection model | One SSH transport carrying file operations | FTP control and data channels, potentially requiring separate data connections |
| Typical port arrangement | A single SSH/SFTP port, commonly 22 | FTP control port plus a configured passive or active data range |
| Authentication | SSH-style passwords and public keys, as permitted by your ProFTPD authentication setup | FTP authentication protected by TLS |
| Client compatibility | Requires an SFTP-capable SSH client | Requires an FTP client with the appropriate FTPS mode |
Because SSH2 and FTP listen differently, the normal design is a dedicated SFTP <VirtualHost> with a different Port from the existing FTP listener. The same address can host both services when their ports do not overlap.
Check the prerequisites before editing
- Verify that the installed ProFTPD build contains
mod_sftpand that the module is loaded. If the module is absent, directives such asSFTPEngineandSFTPHostKeywill not be recognized. - Identify the address on which ProFTPD should listen. The examples below use the documentation address
203.0.113.10; replace it with the server address assigned to your host. - Choose a free SSH/SFTP port. Use 22 only when another SSH service is not already bound there. If OpenSSH or another daemon owns port 22, select a documented alternate port and open that port in your firewall.
- Locate the OpenSSH host-key files that the daemon can read. The example uses RSA, ECDSA, and Ed25519 keys under
/etc/ssh/. - Decide whether FTP will remain available during a transition or whether the final state must be SFTP-only. Keeping both listeners temporarily gives you a way to test SFTP before removing the old service.
Configure an SFTP virtual host alongside FTP
Place the SFTP settings in the configuration file or included file used by your ProFTPD installation. Keep the existing FTP listener while testing. This layout gives FTP port 21 and SFTP port 22 on the same address:
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# Existing FTP listener
DefaultAddress 203.0.113.10
Port 21
<IfModule mod_sftp.c>
<VirtualHost 203.0.113.10>
Port 22
SFTPEngine on
SFTPLog /etc/proftpd/sftp/sftp.log
# Reuse the host keys used by OpenSSH
SFTPHostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key
SFTPHostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key
SFTPHostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key
# Per-user public-key authorization example
SFTPAuthorizedUserKeys file:~/.sftp/authorized_keys
</VirtualHost>
</IfModule>Why the virtual host needs its own port
SSH2/SFTP has a different wire protocol from FTP. A listener accepting FTP cannot also interpret an incoming SSH handshake as SFTP. Assigning separate Port directives lets ProFTPD route each connection to the right protocol. If the address has multiple virtual hosts, each one must use a non-conflicting port.
What each directive does
<IfModule mod_sftp.c>makes the block conditional on the module being available. It prevents SFTP directives from being applied when the module is not loaded, but it does not install or load the module for you.Port 22selects the SFTP listener in this example. Change it when port 22 is occupied or when your network policy requires another port.SFTPEngine onenables the SFTP engine for that virtual host. Without it, the virtual host does not provide SFTP even if the module is present.SFTPLogassigns a dedicated log path. The directory must already exist and be writable in the way required by the ProFTPD daemon.- Each
SFTPHostKeyidentifies a private host key that ProFTPD presents to SFTP clients. At least one host key is required; listing the available OpenSSH keys lets clients negotiate a key type they support. SFTPAuthorizedUserKeystellsmod_sftpwhere to find users’ authorized public keys. Thefile:~/.sftp/authorized_keysform resolves a per-user file below each user’s home directory.
Use the same host keys as OpenSSH
SFTPHostKey is required. The ProFTPD documentation recommends reusing the host-key files already used by OpenSSH. Doing so preserves the server’s SSH identity across services. If ProFTPD presents a different key from OpenSSH for the same host, clients can warn that the host identity has changed, forcing administrators to investigate or replace a known-host entry.
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Check that every configured private key exists, is the intended key for that server, and is readable by the account under which ProFTPD runs. Do not copy private keys into user home directories or expose them through an authorization file. Keep the private-key permissions and ownership consistent with the security policy used for the rest of the SSH service.
If you have only one supported host-key type, configure that key rather than leaving a path to a nonexistent file. After changing a host key, expect clients to perform host-identity checks again; a changed fingerprint should be treated as a security event until you have verified the replacement.
Configure user authentication
Password authentication
SFTP can use the password authentication mechanisms already configured for ProFTPD, subject to the authentication modules and login rules in your installation. Enabling SFTPEngine does not automatically create users or bypass existing account restrictions. Test with a normal account that is permitted to log in, and check the SFTP log if the password is rejected.
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Public-key authentication with SFTPAuthorizedUserKeys
For per-user keys, create the authorization file represented by the configured path under the user’s home directory. The file must contain the public key format expected by mod_sftp and must be readable according to the daemon’s access rules.
When importing an OpenSSH public key for this directive, convert it to RFC4716 format with:
ssh-keygen -e -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub -m RFC4716Place the converted key in the configured authorization file. The conversion matters because an OpenSSH public-key line and an RFC4716 public-key block are different representations. If you paste an unconverted key and authentication fails, inspect the format before changing account permissions or passwords.
Repeat the setup for each account that should use key authentication. Keep an out-of-band administrative login available while testing so a malformed authorization file cannot lock you out of the server.
Set up logging and verify file access
Create the directory used by SFTPLog before starting the service, and confirm that the ProFTPD daemon can create or append to the log file. A missing directory or an unwritable path can make a working SFTP listener appear broken because connection details are not recorded where you expect.
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Use the SFTP log together with the main ProFTPD log when diagnosing a failure. Look for the sequence of connection, host-key negotiation, authentication method, authorization result, and file-operation errors. Avoid placing private keys or passwords in diagnostic output.
Apply the configuration safely
- Save a copy of the currently working ProFTPD configuration and note every included file. A setting in an included file can override or supplement the block you just edited.
- Confirm that
mod_sftpis installed and loaded. If the module is not loaded, stop and resolve that packaging or module-loading problem before troubleshooting directives. - Check that the selected SFTP port is free and that the firewall permits connections to it. If port 22 belongs to OpenSSH, use another port rather than attempting to bind both daemons to the same socket.
- Add the SFTP virtual host, required host keys, logging path, and authentication settings. Keep the existing FTP listener in place during this first test.
- Use the configuration-validation mechanism supplied by your operating system and ProFTPD package before reloading or restarting the daemon. Correct syntax errors, unknown directives, missing files, and duplicate listeners before continuing.
- Reload or restart ProFTPD using the service-management method for your system, then inspect the service status and logs for startup errors.
- Connect with an SFTP client to the selected address and port. For a command-line client, the port-specific form is
sftp -P 22 [email protected]; replace both the port and address when your configuration differs. - Verify authentication, directory listing, upload, download, rename, and removal operations using an account whose permissions are understood. Confirm that the SFTP log records the session.
- Only after a successful SFTP test should you proceed to the SFTP-only policy or disable the old FTP listener.
Make ProFTPD SFTP-only
If FTP must be removed rather than run in parallel, use a login policy that denies access in the main server context and re-allows it only inside the SFTP virtual host:
<Limit LOGIN>
DenyAll
</Limit>
<VirtualHost 203.0.113.10>
<Limit LOGIN>
AllowAll
</Limit>
Port 22
SFTPEngine on
# host keys, logging, and authentication directives here
</VirtualHost>How this policy works
The global DenyAll prevents logins in the main server context. The nested AllowAll restores login permission only for the SFTP virtual host. This is a login-control rule; it does not by itself prove that an FTP socket is no longer listening.
Finish the replacement
- Review every existing virtual host and included configuration file for another FTP
Port, a broaderAllowAllrule, or an authentication block that could still expose FTP. - Test SFTP with each class of account that needs access while the old FTP listener is still available.
- Remove or disable the FTP listener, commonly the
Port 21setting and its associated virtual-host configuration, after confirming client access. - Close the unused FTP port in the firewall and verify from an external client that it no longer accepts FTP connections.
- Keep the SFTP port open and document it for users. If you selected an alternate port, include that port in client profiles and operational runbooks.
Firewall and network considerations
SFTP uses one SSH transport, so it normally needs one reachable TCP port. It does not use FTP’s separate control and data-channel model. That simplifies firewall rules compared with an FTP deployment that relies on active connections or a passive-port range.
Opening a port in a host firewall is not enough if a cloud security group, router ACL, or upstream firewall blocks it. Check the complete path from the client network to the server. Conversely, do not leave port 21 reachable merely because it was open for the old service; remove the rule when FTP is retired.
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When an alternate SFTP port is used, tell clients to select SFTP rather than FTP or FTPS and to enter the exact port. A connection to the wrong port commonly produces a protocol error instead of an authentication prompt.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common failures
“Unknown directive” or the service will not start
The usual cause is that mod_sftp is not installed or loaded, or that the directive is outside the configuration context supported by your build. Confirm module availability and loading first, then validate the file containing the SFTP block. Do not work around the error by deleting SFTPHostKey; that directive is required for SFTP.
Connection refused or timeout
Check that ProFTPD is listening on the selected address and port, that no other SSH service owns the port, and that every firewall layer allows it. A timeout usually indicates routing or filtering; an immediate refusal often indicates that no process is listening or that the service failed to start.
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The client reports a changed host key
Compare the key presented by ProFTPD with the host identity you expect for that server. This warning can occur when ProFTPD uses different key files from OpenSSH or when a key was legitimately replaced. Resolve the identity question before accepting a new fingerprint.
Authentication fails with a public key
Confirm that the user’s key is in the file named by SFTPAuthorizedUserKeys, that the path resolves to the intended home directory, and that the key is in the required RFC4716 representation when imported from OpenSSH. Then inspect the SFTP log for a format, permission, or account-policy error.
FTP still works after adding the deny rule
Inspect all included files and virtual hosts. A second listener or a broader login rule may still permit FTP. The global <Limit LOGIN> DenyAll pattern must be applied in the actual main context, and the FTP listener must eventually be removed or disabled if the goal is a protocol replacement.
The log file is empty
Verify that the directory in SFTPLog exists and is writable by the daemon, then confirm that the running process loaded the virtual host containing that directive. A client connecting to another address or port will not generate entries in this virtual host’s log.
SFTP or FTPS: choose deliberately
Choose SFTP when you want an SSH-based transfer service with one transport connection, SSH-style host keys, and optional public-key authentication. Choose FTPS when you must retain the FTP protocol and its existing client or workflow compatibility while adding TLS protection. They are not interchangeable labels, and an FTPS client cannot be expected to speak SFTP merely because both services encrypt traffic.
Client migration is therefore part of the configuration change. An SFTP profile must specify the SFTP protocol, server address, port, and authentication method. Reusing an FTP profile with a different port is not sufficient if the client continues to initiate an FTP handshake.
Production checklist
- Module:
mod_sftpis installed and loaded. - Port: the chosen SSH/SFTP port is free, reachable, and documented.
- Virtual host: SFTP has its own virtual host and a port distinct from FTP.
- Engine:
SFTPEngine onis present in that virtual host. - Host identity: required
SFTPHostKeyfiles exist and match the OpenSSH host keys where possible. - Authentication: password or public-key access is configured for the intended accounts; imported OpenSSH keys are converted to RFC4716 when required.
- Logging:
SFTPLogpoints to a writable directory and is being updated during a test session. - Testing: an SFTP client can authenticate and complete representative file operations before FTP is disabled.
- Retirement: if SFTP-only is the goal, review included files, remove or disable the FTP listener, and close the old FTP firewall rule.
The essential configuration is not a conversion of FTP into FTPS. It is a new SSH2/SFTP listener supplied by mod_sftp, normally isolated in its own virtual host, using explicit host keys and a separately tested authentication path.
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