How to Setup SFTP Server on Ubuntu 24.10

To set up an SFTP server on Ubuntu 24.10, follow these steps:

Step 1 : Run the following command to ensure your system is up to date:

sudo apt update

Step 2 : If openssh-server is not installed, install it with:

sudo apt install openssh-server -y

Step 3 : Edit the SSH configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Add or modify the following lines to configure SFTP:

Subsystem sftp internal-sftp

Match Group sftp
        ChrootDirectory %h
        X11Forwarding no
        AllowTcpForwarding no
        ForceCommand internal-sftp

Step 4 : Apply the changes by restarting SSH:

sudo systemctl restart sshd

Step 5 : Create a group for SFTP users:

sudo groupadd sftp

Step 6 : Add a new user and assign them a home directory:

sudo adduser sftpuser

Step 7 : Assign the user to the sftp group:

sudo usermod -aG sftp sftpuser

Step 8 : Set the correct permissions for the user's home directory:

sudo chown root:root /home/sftpuser
sudo chmod 755 /home/sftpuser
sudo mkdir /home/sftpuser/upload
sudo chown sftpuser:sftpuser /home/sftpuser/upload
sudo chmod 755 /home/sftpuser/upload

Step 9 : Allow SSH traffic through the firewall:

sudo ufw allow ssh

Step 10 : If you want to enable login using a password, ensure the following line in sshd_config is set to:

PasswordAuthentication yes

Step 11 : Restart the SSH service again:

sudo systemctl restart sshd

Step 12 : Test the SFTP Connection

- Open an SFTP Client: Launch FileZilla or any SFTP client.

- Add a New Site: Go to File > Site Manager, and create a new site.

- Configure Connection:

Protocol: SFTP

Host: Your server's IP address

Port: 22

Logon Type: Normal

User: sftpuser

Password: The password you set for sftpuser

Step 13 : Click Connect and verify the setup.

Congratulations! You have successfully set up an SFTP server on Ubuntu 24.10