Install ftp server on Kali Linux

This is a simple how to install vsftpd server on Kali Linux. The more important configuration file is /etc/vsftpd.conf. Read carefully it and refer to vsftpd home site.

Download and install vsftpd:

root@kali:~# apt-get install vsftpd

If you want to allow local users to log in and to allow ftp uploads you have to edit file /etc/vsftpd.conf uncommenting the following:

local_enable=YES
write_enable=YES

Also set this parameters:

chroot_list_enable=YES
chroot_list_file=/etc/vsftpd.chroot_list

To secure your server, disable anonymous access if not required:

anonymous_enable=NO

If you wish you can also modify the banner present in vsftpd.conf, but this is usefull only to prevent simple banner grabbing. A specific tool such as NMAP will discover your server version anyway.

Now create the file /etc/vsftpd.chroot_list and add the local users you want allow to connect to FTP server.
Start service and test connections:

root@kali:~# service vsftpd start
Starting FTP server: vsftpd.
root@kali:~# netstat -nat | grep 21
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:21              0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN  
root@kali:~# ftp 127.0.0.1
Connected to 127.0.0.1.
220 (vsFTPd 2.3.5)
Name (127.0.0.1:root): user-one
331 Please specify the password.
Password:
230 Login successful.
Remote system type is UNIX.
Using binary mode to transfer files.
ftp>
Posted in Digital Notes on and tagged , , by Peru
2 Comments »

2 Responses to Install ftp server on Kali Linux

  1. On October 30, 2013 at 17:03 Jesse Wallace said:

    Thanks for the tutorial but when you say which file to edit to allow ftp uploads it should be /etc/vsftpd.conf not /etc/vsptpd.conf
    A simple spelling mistake i’m sure. Great tutorial though!

  2. On October 31, 2013 at 09:19 Peru said:

    Thanks, I corrected the typo.

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