[geeks] hidden files and sftp

[Shannon Hendrix]

On Feb 5, 2008, at 4:38 PM, der Mouse wrote:

>>>> Does anyone know of a way to give users sftp access to a server,
>>>> but not let them see any hidden files?
>>> Define "hidden".
>> UNIX hidden files.
>> dot files.
>
> This is an issue to address in the configuration for the sftp server  
> in
> question.
>
> If it doesn't have such a configuration option, your options are to
> switch to one that does, to add it yourself, to try to contrive it  
> some
> other way (such as mounting a loopback filesystem that conceals them
> and then point sftp at the mount point), or to give up on the idea as
> stated and try to achieve the underlying end some other way (this is  
> of
> course applicable only if there is a distinct underlying goal that  
> this
> is just in aid of).
>
> Or, of course, to give up on the idea entirely, which would be my own
> preference - but I've never liked hiding dot files to begin with (one
> of the first things I do on a new system is to set myself up with an  
> ls
> and shell that make that misfeature go away).

That would be my choice, but this is for a client who wants to give  
sftp access to an embedded machine, but not allow the user to see any  
of the dot files.

They originally asked me to just remove all of the dot files, but the  
problem there is some of the other accounts need them even if sftp  
users don't.

Unfortunately, this is an openssh based system, and unless I've missed  
something it seems there is no option to control what someone sees  
with sftp.

-- 
Shannon Hendrix
shannon at widomaker.com