Here’s how to configure SSL for FileZilla on Ubuntu (covering both client and server setups):
1. Install FileZilla
First, ensure FileZilla is installed on your Ubuntu system. Run these commands in the terminal:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install filezilla
2. Configure FileZilla Client for FTPS (FTP over SSL/TLS)
FTPS encrypts FTP traffic using SSL/TLS. Follow these steps to set it up in the FileZilla client:
- Open Site Manager: Launch FileZilla, click File > Site Manager.
- Add a New Site: Click New Site, enter a name (e.g., “My Secure FTP”), and fill in the server details (hostname/IP, username, password).
- Set Protocol & Port:
- For Explicit FTPS (recommended): Select FTP as the protocol and 21 as the port. In the Encryption dropdown, choose Require explicit FTP over TLS.
- For Implicit FTPS (older servers): Select FTP as the protocol, 990 as the port, and Require implicit FTP over TLS in the Encryption dropdown.
- Save & Connect: Click Connect to test the configuration. If the server uses a self-signed certificate, FileZilla will prompt you to trust it—select Always trust this certificate to avoid future warnings.
3. Configure FileZilla Server for FTPS (Ubuntu Server)
If you’re setting up an FTP server on Ubuntu using FileZilla Server, follow these steps to enable SSL:
- Install FileZilla Server: Run
sudo apt install filezilla-server in the terminal.
- Access Server Interface: Start the server (via
sudo systemctl start filezilla-server) and open the management interface (e.g., filezilla-server-interface).
- Generate a Certificate: Go to Edit > Settings > Security > SSL/TLS Settings. Click Generate new certificate and fill in the required details (country, state, organization, etc.). This creates a self-signed certificate for the server.
- Configure SSL Options: In the same SSL/TLS Settings tab, select Enable FTP over TLS and choose whether to allow explicit or implicit FTPS (match this with your client configuration).
- Adjust Ports: Set the Listen on Port to 21 (for explicit FTPS) or 990 (for implicit FTPS). For passive mode, define a custom port range (e.g., 50000-50020) under Passive Mode Settings to avoid firewall issues.
- Apply Changes: Click OK to save the configuration. Restart the server if needed.
4. Configure SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) as an Alternative
SFTP uses SSH for encryption and is often simpler to set up than FTPS. Here’s how to configure it in FileZilla:
- Open Site Manager: Click File > Site Manager and add a new site.
- Set Protocol: Select SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol from the protocol dropdown.
- Enter Server Details: Input the server’s hostname/IP, username, and password (or configure key-based authentication by specifying a private key file in the Key File field).
- Connect: Use port 22 (default for SSH) and click Connect. SFTP encrypts both authentication and data transfer by default.
Key Notes
- Certificate Trust: For self-signed certificates (common in testing), manually trust them in the client to avoid connection errors.
- Firewall Rules: Ensure your Ubuntu firewall (e.g.,
ufw) allows the configured ports (e.g., sudo ufw allow 21/tcp, sudo ufw allow 990/tcp, or sudo ufw allow 22/tcp for SFTP).
- Passive Mode: For FTPS, configure passive mode ports in the server settings and open them in your firewall to handle incoming data connections.
By following these steps, you can secure your FileZilla transfers on Ubuntu using either FTPS or SFTP.