Question

how do i automate file down load using sftp

Asked by: nohurt

I have a linux server and i need to download a file from our partner every two hours using sftp.  I can manually do this, but since it's repetitious, i would like to automate it in a bash shell script.  the problem i have is automatically logging in so that i don't have to enter a password on the command line.  is there a way to pass in the password so that i don't need to type it in?  i can even put in into the shell script encrypted so that it's not in the clear.  I already have a tool that will encrypt / decrypt the password.  I also cannot use ssh public/private keys since the partner does not want to get into the process of managing our public ssh keys.

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Asked On
2009-03-10 at 21:06:04ID24218630
Topics

Automation

,

Linux

,

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

,

Shell Scripting

,

Miscellaneous Networking

Participating Experts
4
Points
500
Comments
9

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Answers

 

by: KeremEPosted on 2009-03-11 at 23:29:28ID: 23865318

Hi,

You can use login with a key instead of password. This way you dont need to embed any password in your script. To time it you can call it through cron script.

here's a link describes public/private key generation step-by-step:
http://ask-leo.com/how_can_i_automate_an_sftp_transfer_between_two_servers.html

Cheers,
K.

 

by: slyongPosted on 2009-03-11 at 23:58:37ID: 23865454

Hi,

You can use either:

1) expect + sftp + cron; or
2) use a Perl script

refer to http://www.linux-bsd-central.com/index.php/content/view/26/29/

 

by: oklitPosted on 2009-03-12 at 02:37:02ID: 23866190

Exactly as slyong wrote - use expect (but you will have to use password in its plain form).
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Programming/Languages/Scripting/Shell/Q_24051112.html

 

by: ai_ja_naiPosted on 2009-03-12 at 03:48:02ID: 23866698

use thi expect script (install expect first, of course)

#!/usr/bin/expect -f
# Expect script to supply root/admin password for remote ssh server
# and execute command.
# This script needs three argument to(s) connect to remote server:
# password = Password of remote UNIX server, for root user.
# ipaddr = IP Addreess of remote UNIX server, no hostname
# scriptname = Path to remote script which will execute on remote server
# For example:
#  ./sshlogin.exp password 192.168.1.11
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Copyright (c) 2004 nixCraft project <http://cyberciti.biz/fb/>
# This script is licensed under GNU GPL version 2.0 or above
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
# This script is part of nixCraft shell script collection (NSSC)
# Visit http://bash.cyberciti.biz/ for more information.
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
# set Variables
set password [lrange $argv 0 0]
set ipaddr [lrange $argv 1 1]
set timeout -1
# now connect to remote UNIX box (ipaddr) with given script to execute
spawn ssh user@$ipaddr 
match_max 100000
# Look for passwod prompt
expect "*?assword:*"
# Send password aka $password
send -- "$password\r"
# send blank line (\r) to make sure we get back to gui
send -- "\r"
 
match_max 100000
 
spawn yourcommandsyntaxhere
send -- "\r"
expect eof
                                              
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by: KeremEPosted on 2009-03-12 at 05:36:29ID: 23867472

I guess any programmer *should* avoid embedding root password in any script at all costs!!!  This is a very very bad practice that nobody could object.  I think the best solution would be the use of sftp (Secure file transfer over SSH) and the use of server key as authentication mechanism. Of course in this case the user should not be root and the key filne must be protected very well with user attributes and only the sftp would access and access would be denied to all other users.

 

by: ai_ja_naiPosted on 2009-03-12 at 05:51:04ID: 23867597

He already said that key based auth is not an option, so I did what I could: expect script (in particular, expect has been created for one thing and one thing only: sending passwords during batch scripts)

 

by: nohurtPosted on 2009-03-12 at 07:28:26ID: 31556610

thanks for the help.  Expect will do the job, but first impression is that it's not roubust enough and way to handle / detect error will be dificult.  I'll start with it and will continue to look into a perl opetion as well.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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