## ProFTPD module `mod_sftp_ldap`

The `mod_sftp` module for ProFTPD can support different storage formats for its user- and host-based authorized keys. By default, the `mod_sftp` module supports storing authorized keys in flats. This `mod_sftp_ldap` module allows for authorized SSH keys to be stored in LDAP directories.

This module is contained in the `mod_sftp_ldap.c` file for ProFTPD 1.3.x, and is not compiled by default. Installation instructions are discussed here.

The most current version of `mod_sftp_ldap` can be found at:

      http://www.castaglia.org/proftpd/

This product includes software developed by the OpenSSL Project for use in the OpenSSL Toolkit (http://www.openssl.org/). This product includes cryptographic software written by Eric Young (eay@cryptsoft.com).

## Author

Please contact TJ Saunders <tj at castaglia.org> with any questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding this module.

## Installation

To install `mod_sftp_ldap`, go to the third-party module area in the proftpd source code and unpack the `mod_sftp_ldap` source tarball:

      $ cd proftpd-dir/contrib/
      $ tar zxvf /path/to/mod_sftp_ldap-version.tar.gz

after unpacking the latest proftpd-1.3.x source code. Then follow the usual steps for using third-party modules in proftpd, making sure to include the `mod_sftp` and `mod_ldap` modules, which `mod_sftp_ldap` requires. For including `mod_sftp_ldap` as a staticly linked module:

      $ ./configure --with-modules=mod_ldap:mod_sftp:mod_sftp_ldap ...
      $ make
      $ make install

## Usage

The `mod_sftp_ldap` module works by using hooks in the `mod_ldap` module code to retrieve authorized user keys during the LDAP queries. Thus the `mod_sftp_ldap` module has no configuration directives of its own.

To help demonstrate, see the example configuration below:

      <IfModule mod_ldap.c>
        # mod_ldap configuration here
      </IfModule>

      <IfModule mod_sftp.c>
        SFTPEngine on
        SFTPLog /path/to/sftp.log

        # Host keys, for server host authentication
        SFTPHostKey /etc/ssh_host_dsa_key
        SFTPHostKey /etc/ssh_host_rsa_key

        <IfModule mod_sftp_ldap.c>
          # Instead of using a file-based key store, we tell mod_sftp to use
          # the LDAP-based key store provided by mod_sftp_ldap
          SFTPAuthorizedUserKeys ldap:
        </IfModule>
      </IfModule>

What should the schema be, for the directory entry which holds these authorized keys? The `mod_sftp_ldap` module assumes a `posixAccount` user entry with an `ldapPublicKey` objectclass and `sshPublicKey` attributes; multiple `sshPublicKey` attributes are allowed.

Example LDIF:

      dn: uid=foo,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com
      objectClass: top
      objectClass: person
      objectClass: organizationalPerson
      objectClass: posixAccount
      objectClass: ldapPublicKey
      description: John Doe Account
      userPassword: {crypt}0LXhFAsrBWEEQ
      cn: John Doe
      sn: John Doe
      uid: foo
      uidNumber: 1234
      gidNumber: 123
      homeDirectory: /home/foo
      sshPublicKey: ---- BEGIN SSH2 PUBLIC KEY ---- ...
      sshPublicKey: ---- BEGIN SSH2 PUBLIC KEY ---- ...

Which leads to the next question: how can I transfer existing authorized SSH keys from their current flat files into the LDAP entries? First, you need to make sure that the key is in the RFC4716 format, using:

      $ ssh-keygen -e -f /path/to/key.pub

Then simply add the output data to your LDAP entry's `sshPublicKey` attribute.

© Copyright 2010-2020 TJ Saunders
All Rights Reserved