Access Denied for every user to FTP Server.

I would check the following items:

1. Firewall: verify that you have the FTP port (21) open and any necessary ports for authentication (all for Kerberos and Password Server).

2. In Server Admin, FTP section: Make sure that you have anonymous access set appropriately, and that the maximum number of simultaneous connections is appropriate. You may wish to stop and start the FTP server.

3. In Server Admin, with the server selected: Click Settings (near the bottom), then Access (near the top). Make sure that the service ACLs are configured to allow access to the FTP server for the appropriate users or groups.

4. In Workgroup Manager, Sharing section. Select the share point in question and verify that FTP Access is enabled in the Protocols tab. Also make sure that FTP Guest Access is enabled or disabled, as you desire.

--Gerrit

Yes, that's a list of users who are denied FTP access. Each process has its own way of controlling access in addition to the service access controls (SACLs) model. As is the case with many processes, it is unreasonable to list hundreds of denied users in /etc/ftpusers. It's just as effective and easier to create a SACL entry to allow a group of users using Server Admin.

On that note, I wouldn't delete or modify the /etc/ftpusers file - it ensures that the System Administrator (root) and other system users cannot connect to your server remotely via FTP.

--Gerrit

Hello,

I wanted to add to this topic since I am having the same exact problem. We had been using the FTP service with no problems until 3 weeks ago. I was tempted to think that it stopped working in conjunction with some security/system updates that were installed. I have also tried restarting the service, and checking all the settings in the Server Admin. Everyone can connect to the FTP service, but it won't accept any users. All other open-directory-based file services (AFP, SMB) are working fine.

Any help is appreciated!

-Alex Brandmeyer

PowerMac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.5)

In trying to figure out why users are denied access, I came across the following line in the /var/log/system.log file:

Mar 23 10:41:01 mmmxserver ftpd[3820]: FTP LOGIN REFUSED: getpwnam returned null

Any ideas what can cause this? We just recently redid our user directory... could it be looking for a different LDAP database?

From my own struggles with this very problem, that is what is generated when you try to sign in with a "username" that doesn't exist in the system. So when I just type anything in the system, I get that, where as when I type my username it gives me something even more interesting. When I'm at the terminal window and I type my username, and hit "enter" it's already denied me.

so I get FTP LOGIN REFUSED (access denied) as soon as I type my USERNAME

Hi,

I also have this problem with only the root user for the machine able to login. However, I found that in /Library/FTPServer/Configuration there is a file called ftpaccess, which contains the config for the service, and by replacing this file with the ftpaccess.default file in the same location the problem was resolved. However, I do get the same problem reoccur sometimes, so this isn't a complete solution but resolves the issue.

Hope this helps

Hello

I had the same problem first on December 2005 when I setup my first XServer and discovered that the problem occurs when Server Admin.app is open and communicating to the remote server. On every refresh of Server Admin.app the ftp settings of ftpaccess are retransmitted to the server. In certain circumstance the file will be corrupted and is not complete. In December I have talked to apple support and the supporter was able to reproduce the problem. According to him, he has "escalated" the problem internally.

best regards, relume

Thanks a million, I've had the same problems and your suggestion has fixed it. I would still like to know whether this was a security update issue or not. Our FTP was working fine until at least March 14th (last logged transfer).

Thanks for this post - it fixed the problem for me as well - now all I have to do is figure out why the file gets written improperly.

FYI - when I do a "file ftpaccess" command on the ftpaccess.default, it returns "ASCII C++ Program Text"

Same command on the file that was corrupted returns "ASCII Text"


Seems like Server Admin.app gets a bit confused sometimes....