Installing and Configuring Pure-FTPd on CentOS 7.4 64-bit: A Practical Guide

Introduction

While vsftpd offers powerful permission configurations, it can be complex for general users. Having used vsftpd for years, I recently decided to try Pure-FTPd on a VPS requiring FTP service.

Installing Pure-FTPd

On CentOS 7, install using yum:

yum install pure-ftpd -y

Configuring Pure-FTPd

The main configuration file is /etc/pure-ftpd/pure-ftpd.conf. Below are key settings.

Core Security & Access Control

• ChrootEveryone: Set to yes to restrict users to their home directories.
• NoAnonymous: Set to yes to disable anonymous login.
• PAMAuthentication: Set to yes to enable PAM authentication.
• MinUID: Set to 1000 to allow only system users with UID ≥ 1000 (typical for regular users in CentOS/RHEL 7).
• UseFtpUsers: Set to no if using MinUID for restriction.

Connection & Performance

• MaxClientsNumber: Maximum concurrent connections (e.g., 10).
• MaxClientsPerIP: Max connections per IP (e.g., 8).
• PassivePortRange: Port range for passive mode (e.g., 31888 36888). Ensure firewall allows this range.
• Daemonize: Set to yes to run as a daemon.

Logging & Filesystem

• VerboseLog: Set to no unless detailed command logging is needed.
• AltLog: Enable for transfer logs (e.g., clf:/var/log/pureftpd.log).
• FileSystemCharset & ClientCharset: Set both to UTF-8 for non-ASCII filename support.
• Umask: File creation mask (e.g., 133:022).

Other Common Options

• PureDB: Uncomment and set to /etc/pure-ftpd/pureftpd.pdb for virtual user database.
• IPV4Only: Set to yes if only IPv4 is needed.
• CreateHomeDir: Set to no to disable automatic home directory creation.

Backup the original configuration file after changes.

Creating System User & Group

Create a dedicated system user and group for FTP service:

groupadd -f ftpgroup
useradd -g ftpgroup ftpuser

Managing Virtual Users

Pure-FTPd uses a virtual user system stored in a separate database.

Adding a Virtual User

Create a virtual user ftpnow mapped to system user ftpuser with FTP root directory:

pure-pw useradd ftpnow -u ftpuser -d /whoisyourdaddy -m

You will be prompted to set a password. The -m option writes to the PureDB database.

Setting Directory Permissions

Assign ownership of the FTP root directory:

chown ftpuser:ftpgroup /whoisyourdaddy -R

Updating the User Database

Rebuild the database index after user changes:

pure-pw mkdb

Other User Management Commands

• Delete user: pure-pw userdel ftpnow -m (home directory remains; delete manually)
• Change password: pure-pw passwd ftpnow -m
• View user info: pure-pw show ftpnow

Service Management

Use systemctl on CentOS 7+:

• Start: systemctl start pure-ftpd.service
• Stop: systemctl stop pure-ftpd.service
• Restart: systemctl restart pure-ftpd.service
• Status: systemctl status pure-ftpd.service
• Enable at boot: systemctl enable pure-ftpd.service

Troubleshooting: 530 Login Authentication Failed

Check system logs if this error occurs:

cat /var/log/messages | grep pure-ftpd

A common cause is the mapped system user's UID being lower than the MinUID value (default 1000).

Solutions:

1. Ensure the mapped system user (e.g., ftpuser) has UID ≥ MinUID (check with id ftpuser).
2. Alternatively, adjust the MinUID value in pure-ftpd.conf (not recommended to set too low, e.g., 0).

Conclusion

Pure-FTPd offers a clear configuration structure and detailed options, making it more intuitive than vsftpd in some scenarios. Its virtual user system enhances security by separating FTP accounts from system accounts. For users needing a secure, manageable FTP server, Pure-FTPd is a solid choice.