Can't Connect to Server via SFTP

I downloaded and tried connecting with my hostname, using port 22, my username and password, no private key file, and using the SFTP file protocol allowing SCP fallback... But, it didn't work. It said, "Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server?"

Are you sure the port is not changed to something else?

Can you connect to any other SSH/SFTP service? Maybe 22 is blocked.

I think I could previously connect via Dreamweaver to a site on Yahoo's web server via SFTP; so I think the problem is with this server. How can I check if port 22 is block or not?

Try this in command prompt:

telnet pingwin.icm.edu.pl 22

If you can see:
SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_5.1
you can access port 22 with no problems.

Try the same with your host. If it cannot connect either the server is inaccessible or the port is different.

I saw SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_5.1. Since I can access the port, what's the problem, then?

Sorry.

Have you seen this when connecting to your host?

Have I seen what?

All I see is (when connecting via SFTP with Dreamweaver):
An FTP error occurred - cannot make connection to host.
Dreamweaver could not connect because the server is down or not accepting connections.

And, when connection via SFTP with WinSCP:
Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server?

Please help... My website was hacked recently (and iFrame attack) and so I need to change my passwords and use SFTP so that the packets can't be sniffed or something... I'm just an intermediate PHP programmer!

Run in command prompt:

telnet xxx 22

replace xxx with an address of a server you connect to (in WinSCP and Dreamweaver)

Tell me what happend

Where "xxx" is my dedicated-virtual server IP address:
# telnet xxx 22
Trying xxx...
Connected to xxx.
Escape character is '^]'.
SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_4.3

P.S. Do I need a record in my DNS like sftp.emarketbuilders.com? I notice I have an ftp.emarketbuilders.com CNAME record, that's why I ask.

Is this (ftp.emarketbuilders.com) your real host name? I am able to connect to it. I am asked for a user name.

I do not know it, so cannot check further :-)

Was this message in WinSCP:
Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server?
displayed after logging in?

Try to connect with putty:
http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/x86/putty.exe

and tell a result

and what about FTP? Cannot you connect to ftp://ftp.emarketbuilders.com/ and update your site this way?

I can connect; however, I am led to believe that using non-secure (FTP) is how my site was hacked in the first place. So, I wanted to change my passwords, and use SFTP, then update my website.

* I can connect only with FTP, not SFTP as I'd like.

The difference is that with FTP something can get your password by listening to the network. With SFTP it is more difficult.

If something is running on your server, it is able to do everything with your connection. No metter how you connect.

Could you answer my question about the message
Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server
?

Yes, I think it is connected, then disconnects because it says, "Connection unexpectedly closed. Server sent exit status 1." Or something like that.

Have you tried with putty? If not, try and answer the following questions:

1. Do you receive "login as:" (or similar) prompt?
2. After entering a user name, do you receive "Password:" prompt?
3. What is going on after you enter a password?

When connecting via SSH, I get the login and password prompt which (when entered correctly) allows me to operate the SHELL. When connecting via SFTP, I get no such prompt because as soon as it connects, it disconnects with the message above.

Run (in this shell):
grep sftp /etc/ssh/sshd_config
and give me a result

If you have no result, give me an output of:
uname -a

EMB01,

First of all, Dreamweaver SFTP only supports port 22.  If you find out that you are connecting to a different port than 22, you are basically out of luck for a Dreamweaver-only solution.

There is a way to run DW SFTP in conjunction with a terminal window.  See here for instructions:

http://www.adambergman.com/2008/03/17/dreamweaver-and-sftp/

# grep sftp /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Subsystem       sftp    /usr/libexec/openssh/sftp-server

@jason1178:
I know, I already read that exact article when I was trying to fix this... I think it's a problem with this server. Figuring out what exactly the problem is with the server is seemingly above my skill level and, so I came here.

Okay.  You had mentioned the KB article which talks about one way to go around it.  Didn't know if you had seen the link I posted yet.

Thanks for your help, anyway. I may have solved the problem by changing folder permissions; the previous setup was insecure... I'd like to fix this, though.

Sorry, the above was the limit of my DW/SFTP troubleshooting skill set.  You seem to be in good hands with NetExpert-Warszawa so I'll slink back into my hole and let him continue.

You sell yourself short, your officially a Genius in Dreamweaver! I agree about NetExpert, he seems to be asking the right questions and hopefully he'll help me to a solution.

Give an optput of the following:

ls -l /usr/libexec/openssh/sftp-server
grep LogLevel /etc/ssh/sshd_config
grep SyslogFacility /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Since the last command will probably give something like:
SyslogFacility AUTHPRIV

I will need an output of:
grep authpriv /etc/rsyslog.conf

I expect the output to include:
*.info;mail.none;authpriv.none;cron.none                /var/log/messages
authpriv.*                                              /var/log/secure

So give me this too:
grep -i sftp /var/log/secure
grep -i sftp /var/log/messages

# ls -l /usr/libexec/openssh/sftp-server
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 47356 Aug 22  2008 /usr/libexec/openssh/sftp-server

# grep LogLevel /etc/ssh/sshd_config
#LogLevel INFO

# grep SyslogFacility /etc/ssh/sshd_config
#SyslogFacility AUTH
SyslogFacility AUTHPRIV

# grep authpriv /etc/rsyslog.conf
grep: /etc/rsyslog.conf: No such file or directory

# grep -i sftp /var/log/secure
Sep  8 05:35:05 emarketbuilders sshd[12245]: subsystem request for sftp
Sep  8 06:12:55 emarketbuilders sshd[9913]: subsystem request for sftp
Sep  8 06:13:05 emarketbuilders sshd[10138]: subsystem request for sftp
Sep  8 06:51:17 emarketbuilders sshd[12117]: subsystem request for sftp
Sep  8 06:52:16 emarketbuilders sshd[14240]: subsystem request for sftp
Sep  8 06:58:43 emarketbuilders sshd[31817]: subsystem request for sftp
Sep  8 07:38:33 emarketbuilders sshd[7421]: subsystem request for sftp
Sep  8 12:51:09 emarketbuilders sshd[5298]: subsystem request for sftp

# grep -i sftp /var/log/messages
[doesn't do anything]

Looks good so far.

Do this:
cp /etc/ssh/sshd_config /etc/ssh/sshd_config_sftp
vi /etc/ssh/sshd_config

It opens a configuration file for SSH. We will edit it. Press (case sensitive and mind two spaces) the following keys:
/sftp[ENTER]
A -l VERBOSE[ESC]ZZ

The line you modified should now look like this:
Subsystem       sftp    /usr/libexec/sftp-server -l VERBOSE

Now:
ps -x | grep sshd

You will see something like:
 9319  ??  Is     0:00.00 /usr/sbin/sshd
 9321  ??  Is     0:00.05 sshd: your_username [priv] (sshd)

The number (process id) for /usr/sbin/sshd is important for us. It is 9319 here and you have something else.

Type the following:
kill -HUP xxxxx

where xxxxx is your process id (the one for /usr/sbin/sshd). Before you press enter, check it once more. If anything is not clear for you, do not press enter and ask.

Now try to connect with SFTP and give me:
grep -A 10 'subsystem request for sftp' /var/log/secure

I need just the last connection attempt, so you can ommit everything before tha leas "subsystem request for sftp".

Before you post a response, review it and mask any sensitive information (if you find any).

When I edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config, where do you want me to put:
/sftp[ENTER]
A -l VERBOSE[ESC]ZZ

?

Just type it.

/ is a search command. It will move a cursor to the bottom and sftp will appear there when you type it. Enter will start the search. The cursor will be moved to the line:
Subsystem       sftp    /usr/libexec/sftp-server

Now you press A (Shift+a). This will switch to an edit mode and place the cursor at the end of the line.
-l VERBOSE is a parameter that we want to add there.
Pressing escape will finish editing and pressing Z twice (Shift+z) will save and quit.

How is it going?

Thanks for checking back me.  I'm sorry I took a while to respond.

I prefer not to mess with the shell at this point as since I've changed file and folder permissions, I've not been hacked...  I'll repost a new question if, again, my security is compromised.

I'll accept your suggestions as a solution to this question.

Thanks. I have inadequate skills in shell and I don't really want to risk breaking anything (as I have in the past).  I may have to if the symptoms return.  Have a good day.