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Setting up an SFTP server should be smooth and efficient, and with this guide, you’ll have it done in no time! Whether you’re using AlmaLinux/CentOS or Ubuntu/Debian, this step-by-step tutorial will walk you through the setup for a secure, organized, and scalable SFTP solution. Let’s get into it and enjoy the process! 🚀
Looking for something even easier than this guide?
I created a script to do all this for you on GitHub here.🤓 Enjoy!

You can run the following command to download and run the script (requires root/sudo) directly. No waiting!⚡:
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/blakelton/SetupSFTP/main/SetupSFTP.sh -o SetupSFTP.sh && chmod +x SetupSFTP.sh && sudo ./SetupSFTP.sh


Step 1: Installing OpenSSH 🛠️

First things first: installing the OpenSSH server. Since SFTP runs on SSH, we’ll need this set up before anything else.

  • For AlmaLinux/CentOS:
  • sudo dnf install openssh-server
  • For Ubuntu/Debian:
  • sudo apt update
  • sudo apt install openssh-server

Once installed, let’s make sure SSH starts up right away and on boot:

  • For AlmaLinux/CentOS:
  • sudo systemctl start sshd
  • sudo systemctl enable sshd
  • For Ubuntu/Debian:
  • sudo systemctl start ssh
  • sudo systemctl enable ssh

🎉 With SSH installed and running, we’re ready for the next step!


Step 2: Creating an SFTP Group 👥

We’re all about keeping things tidy and secure, so let’s create a dedicated group for our SFTP users. This ensures that only certain users can access SFTP, making management easier.

  • For Both AlmaLinux/CentOS and Ubuntu/Debian:
  • sudo groupadd sftpusers

📚 This step keeps things organized and helps us stay in control of who can access the system.


Step 3: Creating Your SFTP User 👤

Next, let’s create the user who will actually use SFTP. We’ll assign them to the sftpusers group we just created and give them a proper shell for flexibility.

  • For Both AlmaLinux/CentOS and Ubuntu/Debian:
  • sudo useradd -m -G sftpusers -s /bin/bash sftpuser
  • sudo passwd sftpuser

🚀 Our user is set up and ready to start uploading!


Step 4: Setting Up the SFTP Directory 📂

To keep things secure and prevent issues with .ssh files, we’ll create a dedicated directory for SFTP uploads. This ensures that everything is neatly separated and secure.

  • For Both AlmaLinux/CentOS and Ubuntu/Debian:
  • sudo mkdir -p /srv/sftp/shared/
  • sudo chown root:root /srv/sftp/shared/
  • sudo chmod 755 /srv/sftp/shared/

💡 Now, we have a clean, secure location for file transfers!

Step 5: Configuring SSH ⚙️

Next, we’ll configure SSH to restrict users in the sftpusers group to SFTP and prevent them from accessing the entire system.

  • For AlmaLinux/CentOS:
    sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
  • For Ubuntu/Debian:
    sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Add the following lines at the end of the file to enforce SFTP access and set the directory to /srv/sftp/shared/:

Restart the SSH service to apply the changes:

  • For AlmaLinux/CentOS:
  • sudo systemctl restart sshd
  • For Ubuntu/Debian:
  • sudo systemctl restart ssh

🔐 Your SFTP users are now securely locked into the shared directory!


Step 6: Configuring the Firewall 🔒

To ensure that your SFTP server is accessible, we need to open the right ports. Let’s allow SSH (which includes SFTP) through the firewall.

  • For AlmaLinux/CentOS (Firewalld):
  • sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --add-service=ssh
  • sudo firewall-cmd --reload
  • For Ubuntu/Debian (UFW):
  • sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
  • sudo ufw enable

🎉 The firewall is configured, and your server is now ready for connections!


Step 7: Testing Your Setup 🧪

It’s time to test your configuration and ensure everything is working. Depending on your setup, you’ll use either a local IP address, a hostname, or a domain.

If using a local network (e.g., testing on a home or office network):

Example:

If using a domain name (e.g., a registered domain):

Example:

This command will attempt to connect to your SFTP server. Once connected, you’ll be able to transfer files securely within the /srv/sftp/shared/ directory.

If all went well, you should be able to log in and only access the /srv/sftp/shared directory. Success! 👏


Optional: Changing the SSH Port for Extra Security 🔒

For enhanced security, it’s common to change the default SSH port (22) to something less common. Let’s walk through how to do that and how to test the connection.

Step 1: Update the SSH Configuration

Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file and change the default port (22) to something like 2222 or 8022:

  • For AlmaLinux/CentOS and Ubuntu/Debian:
  • sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Find the line that says Port 22 and change it to your desired port:

Save the file and restart SSH:

  • For AlmaLinux/CentOS:
  • sudo systemctl restart sshd
  • For Ubuntu/Debian:
  • sudo systemctl restart ssh

Step 2: Open the New Port in the Firewall

Make sure the new port is allowed through the firewall:

  • For AlmaLinux/CentOS (Firewalld):
  • sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --add-port=2222/tcp
  • sudo firewall-cmd --reload
  • For Ubuntu/Debian (UFW):
  • sudo ufw allow 2222/tcp
  • sudo ufw reload

Step 3: Close Port 22 (Remove the Original Firewall Rules)

Now that the new port is opened, you can close the default SSH port (port 22) for better security.

  • For AlmaLinux/CentOS (Firewalld):
  • sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --remove-service=ssh sudo firewall-cmd --reload
  • For Ubuntu/Debian (UFW):
  • sudo ufw delete allow OpenSSH
  • sudo ufw reload

Step 4: Restart SSH

Restart the SSH service to apply the port change:

  • For AlmaLinux/CentOS:
  • sudo systemctl restart sshd
  • For Ubuntu/Debian:
  • sudo systemctl restart ssh

Step 5: Test the Connection on the New Port

Once the port change is active, use the following command to connect via SFTP using the new port number:

sftp -P 2222 sftpuser@yourdomain.com

(Replace 2222 with your custom port and yourdomain.com with your actual domain or IP address.)

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