[14]Support for SFTP

[tfuller]

Add support for Secure File Transfer Protocol to Joomla 1.6

Why: More and more server hosts are using only SFTP. Our use case is a state government Data Center. All new servers are now configured to only accept SFTP connections and will no longer accept FTP connections on port 21 or any port. This renders the Joomla 1.5 FTP layer unable to operate.

We have a Joomla 1.5 site to bring up in this data center and have not actually been successful yet due to this restriction. We will find a work around but this would serve the community to broaden the server base and configuration upon which Joomla can be installed.

I have no idea how this would be accomplished. I only bring it up as a need in an actual case.

[ircmaxell]

I'm going to write up a white paper on this. I would like to separation from just JFTP, JFILE, etc. I really would like to see a stream type handler. Something along the lines of a complete abstraction layer. It shouldn't matter if you want FTP, or SFTP, or SCP, or SVN, etc... Think of the possibilities if you can control where the server writes its data (would solve a fundamental problem with server clusters). I've got some really cool ideas for this one, so I'll work on the white paper tomorrow...

[ircmaxell]

1. Introduction

1.1 Scope
The scope of this document is a first draft of improvements to the extension of the JFTP concept

1.2 Objective of the document
The objective is to give a basis for a discussion about an extension to the existing JFTP backend

1.3 General remarks
This proposal is based on the functionality of JFTP in the Joomla! 1.5 stable versions.

1.4 Definitions

1.5 License
GNU GPL

2. What is the current functionality of JFTP

2.1 Functionality
JFTP is presently designed as a proxy to allow Joomla to modify the filesystem via FTP. This provides a method of bypassing permissions issues.

3. What are the proposed improvements?

3.1 Addition Of JFileBackend
Provide a unified, consistant, and simple JFileBackend framework which will allow JFilesystem to call the configured backend (and will allow 3pd and administrators to write new backends).

3.2 Supported Backends

• Default – PHP’s file methods
• FTP – Current functionality of JFTP
• SSH – Provides SSH tunneling (if available in php)
• SCP – Provides SCP file access (if available in php)
• SFTP – Provides SFTP file access (if available in php)

4. Technical Realization

4.1 Core Changes
Every file access and change in the core that does not use JFilesystem would need to be altered to use JFilesystem. Present impimentations of JFilesystem would not need to be altered.

4.2 Global Configuration Changes
The selection for JFTP would need to be changed to a drop down style selection, with the appropriate parameters made available for the backend selected.

5. Intention
The current framework for Joomla 1.5 is extremely flexible, and is extendable from database, cache, session, and several other standpoints. Adding a JFileBackend series of classes would allow for a complete abstraction on the method Joomla 1.6 access the file system.

6. Effects on...

6.1 Users
Proper implementation should have no negative effect on users

6.2 3P extensions
While these changes should have no negative effect on extensions, provided that they use the JFileSystem classes to write files.

6.3 Performance
Since JFileSystem is only used for permanent writes (not cache), the performance impact should be negligible.

[RoscoHead]

One thing to think about is how this might be handled during installation - would installers have a way to supply their own non-core backend somehow?

ROSCO

[THE_AI]

Very good white paper ircmaxell !

[tfuller]

Excellent white paper! Where do we go from here?

[RadoX]

I´m looking forward to see this in Joomla, I have a server thats on Linux and requires sftp so its kinda hard atm to opparate and keeping security up and not to mention the owner problems of files.

[Rhand]

Yes, I have a server using SFTP as well. I guess I will have to upload the files manually and then install them until Joomla! 1.6

[queenzeal]

My server only supports SFTP but doesn't have any PECL extensions installed. Will Joomla! include a pure-PHP SFTP implementation? I've been playing around with one, in particular, as of late:

http://phpseclib.sourceforge.net/docume ... l#net_sftp