Hello

I've recently set up an ftp server on my mac (running OS 10.2.6) and
can succesfully ftp to and from it using my login name.

My friend did a file transfer from my machhine and when I did a 'top'
command I saw a process called 'ftpd' which was obviously handling his
request.

To check this process I did a 'man ftpd' which told me all the
switches and configuration files needed to set up a secure
customisable ftp server - so far so good.

However when I type ftpd at the unix prompt I get ftpd not found.

I have two questions

1) Where is this file - and if it's not on my system how come ftpd was
listed in 'top'
2) If it's not available how do I configure my ftp server via the Unix
prompt?

Many thanks

Matt

"Michael wrote:

>> 2) If it's not available how do I configure my ftp server via the Unix
>> prompt?

> What do you want to configure? ftpd can't enscrypt the session. You
> need to install OpenSSH and disable ftpd to do encrypted file transfer.

Actually, there's no reason to install anything else on a Mac OS X system
in order to sftp to it. Everything that's needed is already there and
already available.

<stan[at]temple.edu> wrote in comp.sys.mac.system:
> "Michael wrote:
>
> >> 2) If it's not available how do I configure my ftp server via the Unix
> >> prompt?
>
> > What do you want to configure? ftpd can't enscrypt the session. You
> > need to install OpenSSH and disable ftpd to do encrypted file transfer.
>
> Actually, there's no reason to install anything else on a Mac OS X system
> in order to sftp to it. Everything that's needed is already there and
> already available.

To answer the OP's question anyway, the ftpd executable lives in
/usr/libexec/ftpd. This is where, apparently, Darwin hides some
executables the user isn't supposed to call directly.

You can find that place by inspecting /etc/xinetd.d/ftp. /etc/xinetd.d
contains descriptive entries for each of the active services on your
machine. The "server" specification is the path name of the executable.

Anno

anno4000[at]lublin.zrz.tu-berlin.de (Anno Siegel) wrote in message news:<bd997c$7ri$1[at]mamenchi.zrz.TU-Berlin.DE>...
> <stan[at]temple.edu> wrote in comp.sys.mac.system:
> > "Michael wrote:
> >
> > >> 2) If it's not available how do I configure my ftp server via the Unix
> > >> prompt?
>
> > > What do you want to configure? ftpd can't enscrypt the session. You
> > > need to install OpenSSH and disable ftpd to do encrypted file transfer.
> >
> > Actually, there's no reason to install anything else on a Mac OS X system
> > in order to sftp to it. Everything that's needed is already there and
> > already available.
>
> To answer the OP's question anyway, the ftpd executable lives in
> /usr/libexec/ftpd. This is where, apparently, Darwin hides some
> executables the user isn't supposed to call directly.
>
> You can find that place by inspecting /etc/xinetd.d/ftp. /etc/xinetd.d
> contains descriptive entries for each of the active services on your
> machine. The "server" specification is the path name of the executable.
>
> Anno

Thanks Anno

Although now I'm scared - should I not use this command at all? What
I'm trying to do is configure things like the starting directory and
prevent users from accessing all of my system - I think this involves
using the chroot command? (forgive me I'm new to Mac OSX and Unix).
I'm not too bothered about encrypting the files I just want whoever
logs onto my system to not be able to write files/delete files, i.e.
basic read-only access. Should I use ftpd or should I use a ftp
server application?

Matt

Matty P <mattydp[at]yahoo.com> wrote in comp.sys.mac.system:
> anno4000[at]lublin.zrz.tu-berlin.de (Anno Siegel) wrote in message
> news:<bd997c$7ri$1[at]mamenchi.zrz.TU-Berlin.DE>...
> > <stan[at]temple.edu> wrote in comp.sys.mac.system:
> > > "Michael wrote:
> > >
> > > >> 2) If it's not available how do I configure my ftp server via the Unix
> > > >> prompt?
> >
> > > > What do you want to configure? ftpd can't enscrypt the session. You
> > > > need to install OpenSSH and disable ftpd to do encrypted file transfer.
> > >
> > > Actually, there's no reason to install anything else on a Mac OS X system
> > > in order to sftp to it. Everything that's needed is already there and
> > > already available.
> >
> > To answer the OP's question anyway, the ftpd executable lives in
> > /usr/libexec/ftpd. This is where, apparently, Darwin hides some
> > executables the user isn't supposed to call directly.
> >
> > You can find that place by inspecting /etc/xinetd.d/ftp. /etc/xinetd.d
> > contains descriptive entries for each of the active services on your
> > machine. The "server" specification is the path name of the executable.
> >
> > Anno
>
> Thanks Anno
>
> Although now I'm scared - should I not use this command at all? What
> I'm trying to do is configure things like the starting directory and
> prevent users from accessing all of my system - I think this involves
> using the chroot command? (forgive me I'm new to Mac OSX and Unix).
> I'm not too bothered about encrypting the files I just want whoever
> logs onto my system to not be able to write files/delete files, i.e.
> basic read-only access.

They can't. Ordinary FTP setup requires remote users to log in with
a valid user name and password on the target system, and they can only
access files within the access permissions of that user. Unless you
give passwords away you are safe against intruders (or should be, if
everything works as expected).

Things are different if you want to set up anonymous FTP, though I
wouldn't know how to do that under darwin. However, any set of
instructions you may find will certainly cover access control.

Anno

anno4000[at]lublin.zrz.tu-berlin.de (Anno Siegel) writes:

> They can't. Ordinary FTP setup requires remote users to log in
> with a valid user name and password on the target system, and they
> can only access files within the access permissions of that user.
> Unless you give passwords away you are safe against intruders (or
> should be, if everything works as expected).
[...]

Or if someone sniffs the password when it's sent over the network in
the clear (i.e., without encryption).

--
David Magda <dmagda at ee.ryerson.ca>, http://www.magda.ca/
Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under
the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well
under the new. -- Niccolo Machiavelli, _The Prince_, Chapter VI