vsftpd (Very Secure FTP Daemon) is a secure and fast FTP server for Unix-like systems. In this guide, we will walk through the steps to install vsftpd on Debian 11 and secure it with TLS.

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by ensuring your system is up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install vsftpd

Install vsftpd using the following command:

sudo apt install -y vsftpd

Step 3: Configure vsftpd

Edit the vsftpd configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/vsftpd.conf

Make the following changes to the configuration file:

• Enable anonymous access if needed:

anonymous_enable=NO

• Allow local users to log in:

local_enable=YES

• Enable writing for local users:

write_enable=YES

• Enable chroot for local users:

chroot_local_user=YES

• Set the passive mode range:

pasv_min_port=10000
pasv_max_port=10100

• Enable TLS:

ssl_enable=YES
allow_anon_ssl=NO
force_local_data_ssl=YES
force_local_logins_ssl=YES
ssl_tlsv1=YES
ssl_tlsv1_1=YES
ssl_tlsv1_2=YES
rsa_cert_file=/etc/ssl/private/vsftpd.pem
rsa_private_key_file=/etc/ssl/private/vsftpd.pem

Step 4: Create SSL Certificate

Generate a self-signed SSL certificate for vsftpd:

sudo mkdir /etc/ssl/private
sudo openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -newkey rsa:2048 \
-keyout /etc/ssl/private/vsftpd.pem -out /etc/ssl/private/vsftpd.pem

Fill in the details as prompted, or you can press Enter to leave the default values.

Step 5: Restart vsftpd

Restart the vsftpd service to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart vsftpd

Step 6: Configure Firewall

If you have a firewall enabled, allow FTP and the passive port range:

sudo ufw allow 20/tcp
sudo ufw allow 21/tcp
sudo ufw allow 10000:10100/tcp
sudo ufw reload

Step 7: Accessing vsftpd

You can now connect to your FTP server using any FTP client. Ensure to select the option to use TLS for secure connections.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed vsftpd and secured it with TLS on Debian 11. This setup provides a secure FTP solution for your file transfers.

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