It is quite easy to set up a simple ftp server or http server on your linux machine to server your simple task when you needed, mostly will be for file transferring. With python’s module, pyftpdlib, SimpleHTTPServer or http.server, we can use just one command to start ftp service or http service.

Set Up Environmet

Because this python component is not available by default, it must be installed first.

For Ubuntu 18.06 with Python2
 

root@ubuntu18-test1:~# uname -a
Linux ubuntu18-test1 5.4.0-1029-gcp #31~18.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Thu Oct 22 09:43:51 UTC 2020 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Just in case, Python and PIP has not been installed yet. Here are all what you need:

apt install python
apt install python-pip
pip install pyftpdlib
If it is Ubuntu 20.04, Pip3
apt install python3
apt install python3-pip
pip3 install pyftpdlib

For CentOS 8 with Python3:

yum install python3
pip3 install pyftpdlib

Here is CentOS8 installation outputs:

[root@centos8 ~]# yum install python3
Failed loading plugin "osmsplugin": No module named 'librepo'
Last metadata expiration check: 1:33:01 ago on Wed 05 May 2021 05:23:38 PM GMT.
Dependencies resolved.
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
 Package                                                  Architecture                                 Version                                                                     Repository                                       Size
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Installing:
 python36                                                 x86_64                                       3.6.8-2.module_el8.3.0+562+e162826a                                         appstream                                        19 k
Installing dependencies:
 python3-pip                                              noarch                                       9.0.3-18.el8                                                                appstream                                        20 k
 python3-setuptools                                       noarch                                       39.2.0-6.el8                                                                baseos                                          163 k
Enabling module streams:
 python36                                                                                              3.6

Transaction Summary
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Install  3 Packages

Total download size: 201 k
Installed size: 466 k
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
(1/3): python36-3.6.8-2.module_el8.3.0+562+e162826a.x86_64.rpm                                                                                                                                           346 kB/s |  19 kB     00:00
(2/3): python3-pip-9.0.3-18.el8.noarch.rpm                                                                                                                                                               356 kB/s |  20 kB     00:00
(3/3): python3-setuptools-39.2.0-6.el8.noarch.rpm                                                                                                                                                        1.5 MB/s | 163 kB     00:00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                                                                                                                                                                                    663 kB/s | 201 kB     00:00
Running transaction check
Transaction check succeeded.
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded.
Running transaction
  Preparing        :                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1/1
  Installing       : python3-setuptools-39.2.0-6.el8.noarch                                                                                                                                                                          1/3
  Installing       : python36-3.6.8-2.module_el8.3.0+562+e162826a.x86_64                                                                                                                                                             2/3
  Running scriptlet: python36-3.6.8-2.module_el8.3.0+562+e162826a.x86_64                                                                                                                                                             2/3
  Installing       : python3-pip-9.0.3-18.el8.noarch                                                                                                                                                                                 3/3
  Running scriptlet: python3-pip-9.0.3-18.el8.noarch                                                                                                                                                                                 3/3
  Verifying        : python3-pip-9.0.3-18.el8.noarch                                                                                                                                                                                 1/3
  Verifying        : python36-3.6.8-2.module_el8.3.0+562+e162826a.x86_64                                                                                                                                                             2/3
  Verifying        : python3-setuptools-39.2.0-6.el8.noarch                                                                                                                                                                          3/3

Installed:
  python3-pip-9.0.3-18.el8.noarch                                     python3-setuptools-39.2.0-6.el8.noarch                                     python36-3.6.8-2.module_el8.3.0+562+e162826a.x86_64

Complete!

[root@centos8 ~]# yum install python3-pip
Failed loading plugin "osmsplugin": No module named 'librepo'
Last metadata expiration check: 1:37:54 ago on Wed 05 May 2021 05:23:38 PM GMT.
Package python3-pip-9.0.3-18.el8.noarch is already installed.
Dependencies resolved.
Nothing to do.
Complete!

[root@centos8 ~]# pip3 install pyftpdlib
WARNING: Running pip install with root privileges is generally not a good idea. Try `pip3 install --user` instead.
Collecting pyftpdlib
  Downloading https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/31/61/63ef60aca6de07eba1639d9d47f3f8e29462e8bb49d6a8dce9aeff240646/pyftpdlib-1.5.6.tar.gz (188kB)
    100% |████████████████████████████████| 194kB 4.4MB/s
Installing collected packages: pyftpdlib
  Running setup.py install for pyftpdlib ... done
Successfully installed pyftpdlib-1.5.6
[root@centos8 ~]# python3 -m pyftpdlib
/bin/python3: No module named pyftpd
[root@centos8 ~]# python3 -m pyftpdlib
[I 2021-05-05 19:03:11] concurrency model: async
[I 2021-05-05 19:03:11] masquerade (NAT) address: None
[I 2021-05-05 19:03:11] passive ports: None
[I 2021-05-05 19:03:11] >>> starting FTP server on 0.0.0.0:2121, pid=104383 <<<

Start FTP Service

Please move your location into the directory you want to ftp, since this command will turn the directory into the root directory, and providing anonymous access. The default port is 2121

python -m pyftpdlib

You can use ftp:// <server ip>:2121  to access your ftp server through in your browser or test it from command line as show below:

root@ubuntu18-test1:~# ftp localhost 2121
Connected to localhost.
220 pyftpdlib 1.5.6 ready.
Name (localhost:jon_netsec): anonymous
331 Username ok, send password.
Password:
230 Login successful.
Remote system type is UNIX.
Using binary mode to transfer files.
ftp> ls
200 Active data connection established.
125 Data connection already open. Transfer starting.
-rw-------   1 root     root           75 Jan 02 17:42 .bash_history
-rw-r--r--   1 root     root         3106 Apr 09  2018 .bashrc
drwx------   3 root     root         4096 Apr 23 01:36 .cache
-rw-r--r--   1 root     root          148 Aug 17  2015 .profile
drwx------   2 root     root         4096 Dec 12 20:10 .ssh
drwxr-xr-x   3 root     root         4096 Jan 02 17:36 snap
226 Transfer complete.
ftp> q
?Ambiguous command
ftp> quit
221 Goodbye.


If you need to use a username and password

python -m pyftpdlib -u ftpuser1 -P password1234

-u is the specified user name 

-P is the specified password (the P is uppercase). 

The meaning of this sentence is: the user name is ftpuser1, and the password is password1234


Put FTP into Background to Run

root@ubuntu18-test1:~#screen -S s1 python -m pyftpdlib -u ftpuser1 -P password1234

root@ubuntu18-test1:~# screen -ls
There is a screen on:
        30309.pts-0.ubuntu18-test1      (04/23/21 01:37:08)     (Detached)
1 Socket in /run/screen/S-root.
root@ubuntu18-test1:~# 

Or

nohup python -m pyftpdlib -u ftpuser1 -P password1234 &

After running the command in the background, if you want to delete the process and close ftp, you can execute the command:


root@ubuntu18-test1:~# screen -s s1 python -m pyftpdlib
[I 2021-04-23 01:38:16] concurrency model: async
[I 2021-04-23 01:38:16] masquerade (NAT) address: None
[I 2021-04-23 01:38:16] passive ports: None
[I 2021-04-23 01:38:16] >>> starting FTP server on 0.0.0.0:2121, pid=30345 <<<
[I 2021-04-23 01:38:39] 127.0.0.1:53676-[] FTP session opened (connect)
[I 2021-04-23 01:38:44] 127.0.0.1:53676-[anonymous] USER 'anonymous' logged in.
[I 2021-04-23 01:41:27] 127.0.0.1:53676-[anonymous] FTP session closed (disconnect).

CTRL+A+D to save session into background

“screen -r” will bring session back in front. Ctrl +C to stop the service.

Kill specific session: screen -X -S <screen name> quit
Kill all screen sessions: pkill screen


Or

ps aux|grep pyftpdlib|awk'{print $2}'|xargs kill -9| grep pyftpdlib | awk '{print $2}' | xargs kill - 9

Start FTP Service After Booted


Write the code running in the background into /etc/rc.local
echo "nohup python -m pyftpdlib -u ftpuser1 -p password1234 &" >> /etc/rc.local

Other Parameters

In addition to the above, there are some optional parameters:

  • p designated port (default is 2121)
  • w Write permission (default is read-only)
  • d Specify the directory (default is the current directory)

From a Windows machine, type ftp command then start to open connection to remote server’s ftp port 2121:

C:\Users\test>ftp
ftp> open 140.238.158.173 2121
Connected to 140.238.158.173.
220 pyftpdlib 1.5.6 ready.
530 Log in with USER and PASS first.
User (140.238.158.173:(none)): anonymous
331 Username ok, send password.
Password:
230 Login successful.
ftp> quit
221 Goodbye.

C:\Users\qyan>

 

HTTP Service

Ubuntu with python2:

python -m SimpleHTTPServer 80

Put it into background to run:

nohup python -m SimpleHTTPServer 80 &

 To stop nohup’s session, using fg command then ctrl+c:

[root@centos8 ~]# fg
nohup python3 -m http.server


Of course, starting an http server can be made even more convenient by an alias in your .bashrc (or the equivalent for your OS/shell). 

 
alias http=”python -m SimpleHTTPServer”

which lets you start a server on port 8000 for the current directory with:

http 8000

 

CentOS with python3:

[root@centos8 ~]# screen -S s1 python3 -m http.server
Serving HTTP on 0.0.0.0 port 8000 (http://0.0.0.0:8000/) ...
16.3.96.23 - - [05/May/2021 19:32:53] "GET / HTTP/1.1" 200 -

 

One Command for Both FTP and HTTP services

[root@centos8 ~]# nohup python3 -m http.server > http.out & nohup python3 -m pyftpdlib > ftp.out &
[1] 6170
[2] 6171
[root@centos8 ~]# nohup: ignoring input and redirecting stderr to stdout
nohup: ignoring input and redirecting stderr to stdout

[root@centos8 ~]#
[root@centos8 ~]# fg
nohup python3 -m pyftpdlib > ftp.out
^C[root@centos8 ~]# fg
nohup python3 -m http.server > http.out
^C

 

CentOS Firewall Operation

In CentOS, you might want to disable your local firewall daemon or add rules in.

Disable firewall:

[root@centos8 ~]# firewall-cmd --state
running
[root@centos8 ~]# systemctl stop firewalld
[root@centos8 ~]#
Add / Remove Port 8000/tcp:
[root@centos8 ~]# firewall-cmd --list-all
public (active)
  target: default
  icmp-block-inversion: no
  interfaces: ens3
  sources:
  services: cockpit dhcpv6-client ssh
  ports:
  protocols:
  masquerade: no
  forward-ports:
  source-ports:
  icmp-blocks:
  rich rules:
[root@centos8 ~]# firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --add-port 8000/tcp
success
[root@centos8 ~]# firewall-cmd --list-all
public (active)
  target: default
  icmp-block-inversion: no
  interfaces: ens3
  sources:
  services: cockpit dhcpv6-client ssh
  ports:
  protocols:
  masquerade: no
  forward-ports:
  source-ports:
  icmp-blocks:
  rich rules:
[root@centos8 ~]# firewall-cmd --reload
success
[root@centos8 ~]# firewall-cmd --list-all
public
  target: default
  icmp-block-inversion: no
  interfaces:
  sources:
  services: cockpit dhcpv6-client ssh
  ports: 8000/tcp
  protocols:
  masquerade: no
  forward-ports:
  source-ports:
  icmp-blocks:
  rich rules:
[root@centos8 ~]# firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --remove-port 8000/tcp
success
[root@centos8 ~]#

from Blogger http://blog.51sec.org/2021/05/one-python-command-to-start-ftp-or-http.html

By Jon

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