How to Install OpenSSH SFTP Server on Linux Mint

OpenSSH is a widely used secure remote access tool that facilitates encryption between two remote computers. A significant component of the OpenSSH tool is the SFTP server, which enables secure file transfer capabilities between remote systems. In this tutorial, we will guide you step-by-step on how to install the OpenSSH SFTP server on a Linux Mint system.

Prerequisites

Before we start, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

• A Linux Mint system with administrative privileges
• Access to the internet

Install OpenSSH SFTP Server

To install the OpenSSH SFTP server, follow the steps below:

1. Open the terminal on your Linux Mint system by pressing CTRL + ALT + T or search Terminal from the application menu.

2. Update the package repository by running the following command:

   sudo apt-get update
   

3. Once the package repository has been updated, run the following command to install the OpenSSH SFTP server:

   sudo apt-get install openssh-server
   

4. After the installation process is finished, verify that the OpenSSH server is running by typing the following command:

   sudo systemctl status ssh
   

5. The output of the above command should indicate that the OpenSSH server is running successfully. If the service status is not active, start the service by typing:

   sudo systemctl start ssh
   

Congratulations, you have successfully installed the OpenSSH SFTP server on your Linux Mint system.

Configure OpenSSH SFTP Server

After installing the OpenSSH SFTP server, you can now configure it to your specifications. The default installation should work fine, but it's possible to modify the configuration file to customize OpenSSH based on your needs.

To access the OpenSSH server configuration file, enter the following command:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Once you have entered the file, you can modify the default configuration options. Below are some of the basic configurations that you might want to change:

• Port: The default SSH port is 22, but you can change it to any available port.
• PermitRootLogin: By default, the root user cannot log in to the SSH server due to security reasons. However, if you need to access the server as the root user, you can modify this option to "yes."
• AllowUsers: Specify which users can log in to the server.

After modifying the configuration file, press CTRL + X to save and exit the file. Finally, restart the OpenSSH server by entering the following command:

sudo systemctl restart ssh

Conclusion

In conclusion, securing data transfer between remote systems is a crucial element when accessing and sharing sensitive files. OpenSSH's SFTP server is an excellent tool that provides secure file transfer capabilities. As demonstrated, installing and configuring the OpenSSH SFTP server on Linux Mint is a simple process.

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