Filezilla access to diradmin:diradmin files

[jimmyk2]

Hello,

I have disabled root ssh access and I normally use a user ssh account to get access to my sever before using an ‘su –‘ to get root access if required.

I want to get access to the skins files through Filezilla to have a play with them.

When I login with user www-user I seem to be jailed the .ssh folder using the ‘ssh file transfer protocol’ in Filezilla. I have the same issue with winscp.

What is the best way to get access to the skins file on a Directadmin server without reducing the security of the server.

On an debian server without a control panel I would normally set my apache files to user www-user (apache runs under user www-data) so that I can login with the www-user ssh user account and adjust the webserver files without having to enable root access for Filezilla.

I am guessing that I cannot change to ownership of the Directadmin diradmin:diradmin files to another ssh user www-user:www-user. Therefore, how do other Directadmin customers get access to their skin files without enabling root ssh access?

 

[nobaloney]

I've never tried to use filezilla, so I'm not sure how I'd go about it. You can probably make some changes to the proFTPd configuration to allow it but I'm not sure of the details; it's been almost ten years since I've edited a proFTPd configuration manually.

You can use he file-editor under Admin Tools but first you must set up the file editor to give it permission to edit the files. That must be done with a root shell login.

cd /usr/local/directadmin/data/templates/custom
cp ../edit_files.txt .

Then edit the file, following the same format as for existing files when you add new file names. Once you save the file you'll be able edit the files you've added to the list.

Jeff

 

[jimmyk2]

Filezilla uses the SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). You basically just use your ssh login details.

For adjusting html/css I think Filezilla is the most effeicent option, so I am fairly keen to find a way of accessing my skin directory via Filezilla.

I did have a look at the proFTPd configs but I do not know much about this software either.

My latest thought is that adding a link to the home directory of user ‘www-user’ and then looking at setting up sudo privileges for this user might be an option. Unfortunately, I have never liked sudo so am not used to setting it up or using it.

Does anyone know if sudo would provide a method of getting access to my skin directory using Filezilla?

 

[zEitEr]

I am guessing that I cannot change to ownership of the Directadmin diradmin:diradmin files to another ssh user www-user:www-user. Therefore, how do other Directadmin customers get access to their skin files without enabling root ssh access?

I guess you should use user diradmin in this case, at least this is what I do on one of the servers:

# grep diradmin /etc/ssh/sshd_config
AllowUsers diradmin

# grep diradmin /etc/passwd
diradmin:x:100:101::/usr/local/directadmin:/bin/bash

I hope this helps you.

 

[jimmyk2]

My first thought was to login as diradmin, but I was hoping that there would be a better method of doing things.

I set up sudo and attempted to use winscp with sudo (which is apparently possible), but I could not get things to work, so I changed diradmin from /bin/false to /bin/bash as suggested.

This is probably better than using a root login but I think I will change everything back when I have adjusted the skin.

 

[zEitEr]

Probably there is way to do a trick with permissions, but I've never thought of that. I used to copy skin files to home dir of a regular user modify them via FTP and move them back in skin directory as root user (doing chmod and chown of course).... but it was not enough comfortable and convenient, so for now I login as diradmin and modify skins and do plugin programming as diradmin user. Of course you should take care of its security, I do it on a server where none customer is hosted.