configure-ftp.md

Setup FTP server (VSFTPD) on AWS EC2

Install vsftpd

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install vsftpd

Update vsftp.config file

sudo nano /etc/vsftpd.conf
  #uncomment these settings
    write_enable=YES #for write access
    local_umask=022
    chroot_local_user=YES #chroot_local_user is to restrict local user to their home directories. (/home/{user}/)
  
  #Add these lines at bottom of the file
    allow_writeable_chroot=YES
    pasv_enable=Yes
    pasv_min_port=1024
    pasv_max_port=1048
    port_enable=YES
    #If you use AWS EC2, you have a fixed public IP address, then add these lines
      pasv_addr_resolve=NO
      pasv_address=<SERVER_IP_ADDRESS>
    #If you do not have a fixed IP address, then add these lines
      pasv_addr_resolve=YES
      pasv_address=<SERVER_FQDN OR SERVER_PUBLIC_IP_ADDRESS>

Create FTP user & allow login access to nologin shell

sudo useradd -m foo -s /usr/sbin/nologin 
sudo passwd foo
sudo nano /etc/shells #open this file
Add "/usr/sbin/nologin" to /etc/shells
#restart vsftpd
  sudo service vsftpd restart

Open ports in AWS EC2 instance security groups

TCP 20 to 21 
TCP 1024 to 1048 #if enable passive mode 
#again restart vsftpd
  sudo service vsftpd restart

Test FTP connection

ftp <Hostname or Server IP Address> #for normal terminal test

#for test using ruby
require 'net/ftp'
ftp = Net::FTP.new
ftp.connect(<Hostname or Server IP Address>, 21)
ftp.login(<ftpuser>,<ftpuser password>)
ftp.passive = true
ftp.getbinaryfile(<remote file>, <local file>) #download file

#sometime PASV(passive mode) fails for some server then EPSV(extended passive mode) is used
#to overwrite 'makepasv' in Net::FTP
#file epsv.rb
require 'net/ftp'

module Net
  class FTP
    def makepasv
      if @sock.peeraddr[0] == 'AF_INET'
        host, port = parse229(sendcmd('EPSV'))
      else
        host, port = parse227(sendcmd('EPSV'))
      end
      return host, port
    end
  end
end

Done!