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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsTo run ProFTPD with virtual users stored in MySQL on Ubuntu, install the ProFTPD core package and Ubuntu’s separate proftpd-mod-mysql package, create a least-privilege SQL account and user table, load mod_sql plus mod_sql_mysql, and align SQLUserInfo and SQLAuthTypes with your schema and password hashes. The exact package version and password compatibility depend on the Ubuntu release and whether the database is MySQL or MariaDB.
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What the integration does
ProFTPD does not read MySQL directly from its core daemon. The mod_sql module supplies the generic SQL interface, while mod_sql_mysql performs MySQL-specific database operations. Both layers must be available and loaded for database-backed authentication.
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A virtual user is an FTP identity represented by a database row rather than by a local login account. At minimum, the row needs a login name and password. A practical mapping normally also includes a numeric user ID, numeric group ID, home directory, and shell. ProFTPD uses those mapped values when it authenticates the user and decides which files the session can access.
Check the Ubuntu release and database engine first
Ubuntu package names, dependencies, and available versions differ between releases. Confirm the target release before copying an installation command:
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lsb_release -ds
apt-cache policy proftpd-core proftpd-mod-mysql proftpd-basicUbuntu’s Noble archive lists proftpd-mod-mysql version 1.3.8.b+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1 in the security repository. That package depends on proftpd-core and libmysqlclient21. On Jammy, proftpd-basic is transitional and depends on proftpd-core and related modules. Use the package set offered by the release actually installed on your server rather than forcing a version from another Ubuntu release.
Also identify whether the database server is Oracle MySQL or a compatible MariaDB deployment. The connection syntax is similar, but password formats and authentication behavior can differ. That difference matters when selecting SQLAuthTypes.
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- Refresh the package index.
sudo apt update - Install the daemon and backend module.
sudo apt install proftpd-core proftpd-mod-mysqlIf your release presents a transitional
proftpd-basicpackage, let APT resolve its dependencies or install the release’s documented ProFTPD package set. Do not mix packages from different Ubuntu releases. - Confirm that the packages are installed.
dpkg -l proftpd-core proftpd-mod-mysql apt-cache policy proftpd-core proftpd-mod-mysql
For a packaged Ubuntu installation, the distribution modules are preferable to a source build unless you specifically need a custom module or compile-time option. A source build requires both the generic SQL module and the MySQL backend, plus the MySQL development headers and libraries; installing only one module leaves the integration incomplete.
Create a database, least-privilege account, and user table
Use a database account dedicated to ProFTPD. It should be able to run only the queries required by the tables and views you select, normally read-only lookups for authentication. Do not reuse an application administrator account in SQLConnectInfo.
The following is an illustrative MySQL schema. Adjust column types, names, and the database account syntax for the MySQL or MariaDB version you operate:
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CREATE DATABASE ftpdb CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
CREATE USER 'ftp_sql_user'@'127.0.0.1'
IDENTIFIED BY '<DB_PASSWORD>';
CREATE TABLE ftpdb.users (
username VARCHAR(64) NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
password VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
uid INT UNSIGNED NOT NULL,
gid INT UNSIGNED NOT NULL,
homedir VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
shell VARCHAR(128) NOT NULL
);
GRANT SELECT ON ftpdb.users TO 'ftp_sql_user'@'127.0.0.1';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;The six columns correspond to the usual ProFTPD identity mapping: login, password, UID, GID, home directory, and shell. If your existing schema uses different names or a different order, map those names explicitly with SQLUserInfo; do not change the table merely to match an example.
Choose the UID and GID deliberately. The mapped numeric identity must have the filesystem permissions needed for the user’s home directory. A database row that authenticates successfully can still receive permission errors if its UID or GID cannot read or write the mapped path.
Load the SQL modules
Ubuntu’s packaged configuration normally provides module-loading snippets under ProFTPD’s configuration directory. Inspect the installed configuration and make sure both modules are included:
grep -R "mod_sql" /etc/proftpd
find /etc/proftpd -maxdepth 2 -type f -printThe configuration must load mod_sql and mod_sql_mysql. Loading the generic module without the MySQL backend cannot perform MySQL queries; loading the backend without the generic layer cannot expose SQL authentication to ProFTPD. Avoid adding duplicate load directives if the Ubuntu package already includes them.
Configure the MySQL connection and identity mapping
Add the SQL directives in the packaged configuration location used by your Ubuntu release. Keeping the settings in a separate included file makes upgrades and troubleshooting easier, provided that file is actually included by the main configuration.
<IfModule mod_sql.c>
SQLBackend mysql
SQLEngine on
SQLConnectInfo [email protected] ftp_sql_user <DB_PASSWORD>
SQLAuthenticate users
SQLAuthTypes OpenSSL Crypt
SQLUserInfo users username password uid gid homedir shell
</IfModule>This block is a model, not a drop-in for every schema. Replace the database name, host, account, password, table name, and column names with values that exist on your server. Protect the file because it contains database credentials.
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| Directive | Purpose | What must match |
|---|---|---|
SQLBackend |
Selects the MySQL SQL backend when backend selection is required. | The installed mod_sql_mysql module. |
SQLEngine |
Enables SQL processing. | Set to on for database-backed authentication. |
SQLConnectInfo |
Supplies the database endpoint, database name, SQL account, and password. | Host syntax, credentials, and the database that contains the mapped table. |
SQLAuthenticate |
Controls which identities ProFTPD looks up in SQL. | Use users for user lookups; add group or related modes only when required. |
SQLAuthTypes |
Defines the password-verification methods and their order. | The stored hash format and the modules available in this installation. |
SQLUserInfo |
Maps table and column positions to ProFTPD’s user fields. | Table name and the exact order of login, password, UID, GID, home, and shell columns. |
SQLUserInfo is positional. In the example, ProFTPD reads username as the login, password as the verifier input, uid and gid as numeric identities, homedir as the home path, and shell as the shell field. A typo or reordered column can produce authentication failures or an apparently successful login followed by a filesystem error.
Choose a password format that ProFTPD can verify
The SQL documentation defines these authentication methods: Backend, Crypt, OpenSSL, Plaintext, and Empty. The list is ordered, so ProFTPD tries methods in the order you specify. The first method must be compatible with the values stored in the password column.
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OpenSSL: use when the stored value was generated in a format supported by the OpenSSL-based verifier available to the installed ProFTPD build.Crypt: use for hashes compatible with the system crypt implementation.Backend: do not copy this setting from an old tutorial without checking the installed MySQL or MariaDB generation. Backend password behavior has compatibility limitations across database generations.Plaintext: stores or compares clear text and should not be used in production.Empty: permits an empty password and should not be used for a production FTP account.
Some deployments use OpenSSL or Crypt methods directly; others use the password-format facilities provided by mod_sql_passwd. Select one format, generate hashes with a tool that produces that format, and test with a dedicated account before migrating existing users. A hash generated for one method will not automatically verify under another.
Never assume that a MySQL account’s own authentication plugin is the same as the password format in the ProFTPD user table. The SQL account in SQLConnectInfo authenticates ProFTPD to the database; SQLAuthTypes verifies the FTP user’s stored password.
Give virtual users a valid, confined filesystem
Every database-backed user needs a home path that exists and is accessible to the mapped UID and GID. Create the directory, assign ownership, and test access before investigating SQL when a login succeeds but directory listing or uploads fail.
sudo install -d -o <FTP_UID> -g <FTP_GID> -m 0750 /srv/ftp/<ACCOUNT>Replace the angle-bracket values with the numeric UID, GID, and path represented by the user row; template values shown inside code are not literal commands. If several users share an identity, use a controlled shared UID/GID policy and restrictive directory permissions rather than granting broad access.
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If you use DefaultRoot or another chroot-style arrangement, check the complete path from the daemon’s point of view. The mapped home directory must exist inside the confinement boundary and remain traversable by the runtime identity. A path that is valid on the host but outside the chroot will appear missing to the FTP session.
The shell column is part of the identity mapping even when the account is intended only for FTP. Store the value expected by your ProFTPD policy and local account conventions; do not use a shell value that conflicts with an existing access-control rule.
Validate the configuration before restarting
- Check syntax.
sudo proftpd -tUse the configuration-check command supplied by the installed package if the binary exposes a different option. Resolve every syntax, module, and include error before touching the running service.
- Check the service state.
sudo systemctl status proftpd - Restart or reload only after validation.
sudo systemctl restart proftpdA reload is preferable when your service policy supports it and you do not need to replace the process. Follow the service manager behavior of the Ubuntu release.
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Use a row whose password hash, UID, GID, and home directory you can inspect. Verify login, directory listing, upload, download, and logout separately.
Testing one account first isolates schema and permission errors from later user-import problems. Remove or disable the test row after validation if it is not needed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot the failures that occur most often
ProFTPD starts, but SQL authentication is unavailable
- Confirm that both
mod_sqlandmod_sql_mysqlare loaded, not only one of them. - Check that the configuration file containing the SQL block is included by the active daemon configuration.
- Verify that the installed module matches the ProFTPD core package from the same Ubuntu release.
The daemon cannot connect to MySQL
- Test the SQL account independently with the same host, database, and credentials used in
SQLConnectInfo. - Check whether the account is authorized from
127.0.0.1,localhost, or another source host. MySQL treats those account hosts as distinct identities. - Confirm that the database service is listening on the address in the connection string and that local firewall or network policy permits the connection.
- Review the database account’s grants. A ProFTPD account that has no
SELECTpermission on the mapped table cannot authenticate users.
The query runs but no user is found
- Compare the table name and every field in
SQLUserInfowith the actual schema. - Check for whitespace, case, or character-set differences in the login column.
- Verify that
SQLAuthenticate usersis enabled for user lookups and that you have not configured a group-only mode.
The user is found but the password is rejected
- Inspect the stored value’s format and compare it with the first method in
SQLAuthTypes. - Do not assume a MySQL or MariaDB password value can be verified by
Backendon every server generation. - Temporarily test a known hash generated for the selected
OpenSSLorCryptmethod. Remove the test value after diagnosis. - Make sure the password column is long enough for the chosen hash representation and is not being truncated by the database schema.
Authentication succeeds but the home directory is inaccessible
- Check that the path in
homedirexists. - Check ownership and mode bits for the mapped UID and GID, including execute permission on every parent directory.
- Review
DefaultRootor chroot settings and confirm that the path exists inside the confined view.
You need more evidence from the daemon
Enable SQL-specific trace logging only while diagnosing connection, query, or authentication problems. Capture enough information to identify the failing stage, but avoid leaving high-volume SQL tracing enabled on a production server. Disable the trace after the fault is understood and protect logs because they can reveal usernames, paths, or connection details.
Secure the deployment
- Protect database credentials. Restrict ownership and permissions on the ProFTPD configuration and any included file containing
SQLConnectInfo. - Limit SQL privileges. Grant the ProFTPD database account only the permissions required for the selected tables and queries.
- Restrict database exposure. Keep the database listener off untrusted networks when the database is local, and use an explicitly controlled network path when it is remote.
- Encrypt FTP traffic. Plain FTP exposes credentials and file contents in transit. Prefer explicit FTPS/TLS or another encrypted transport appropriate to your clients and policy.
- Use strong, non-reversible hashes. Avoid
PlaintextandEmpty; choose a verifier supported by the installed ProFTPD modules and keep its order intentional. - Separate identities. Use a dedicated numeric UID/GID strategy and restrictive home directories so one virtual account cannot browse another account’s files.
- Review logs and upgrades. Ubuntu package versions, supported releases, and password compatibility change over time. Recheck the target release’s package metadata and installed ProFTPD documentation before upgrading or copying configuration from another server.
Package-managed installation versus a source build
| Decision | Package-managed Ubuntu installation | Source build |
|---|---|---|
| Modules | Install Ubuntu’s ProFTPD core and proftpd-mod-mysql packages. |
Build and install both mod_sql and mod_sql_mysql. |
| Dependencies | APT resolves the packaged core, backend, and MySQL client dependencies for the release. | Provide MySQL headers and libraries and maintain the build dependencies yourself. |
| Updates | Track Ubuntu package updates and release-specific configuration conventions. | Track ProFTPD source updates, rebuilds, and local integration work. |
| Best fit | Most servers that need a supported, distribution-integrated setup. | A deployment requiring a custom build or option unavailable in the Ubuntu packages. |
For a normal Ubuntu server, the package-managed route reduces module and library mismatch risk. A source build is a deliberate maintenance choice, not a prerequisite for MySQL-backed virtual users.
MySQL, MariaDB, and transport choices
MySQL and compatible MariaDB servers can present the same basic SQL schema, but their authentication and password-format behavior are not interchangeable in every generation. Decide the database implementation first, then select a hash format that the installed ProFTPD verifier can read. Keep the database account’s authentication separate from the FTP users’ password column.
Similarly, database authentication and transport encryption solve different problems. SQL integration answers “where does ProFTPD look up the user?” FTPS/TLS answers “how are the credentials and files protected while crossing the network?” Configure both when the deployment carries sensitive data.
Operational checklist
- Ubuntu release and database implementation recorded.
proftpd-coreandproftpd-mod-mysqlinstalled from the same release.mod_sqlandmod_sql_mysqlloaded exactly once.- Dedicated SQL account created with only required grants.
- User table contains login, password, UID, GID, home, and shell values mapped in the correct order.
SQLBackend,SQLEngine,SQLConnectInfo,SQLAuthenticate,SQLAuthTypes, andSQLUserInfoagree with the installation.- Password hashes match the selected authentication method and are not plaintext or empty.
- Mapped home directories exist and are accessible to their UID/GID, including inside any confinement boundary.
- Configuration syntax checked before service restart.
- One dedicated account tested for login and file operations.
- SQL tracing disabled after troubleshooting.
- Encrypted transport selected for production credentials and file transfers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does ProFTPD reject a MySQL user password even though the row exists?
The password value may use a format that does not match the first verifier in SQLAuthTypes. Check the stored hash, the installed verifier modules, and the order of methods; do not assume a MySQL or MariaDB backend password format works with every ProFTPD setting.
Do I need both mod_sql and mod_sql_mysql?
Yes. mod_sql provides ProFTPD’s generic SQL interface, while mod_sql_mysql performs MySQL-specific operations. Loading only one leaves the integration incomplete.
Can I use a local MySQL administrator account in SQLConnectInfo?
You can, but you should not. Create a dedicated database account with only the permissions required to read the ProFTPD tables.
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