SSH Chroot Jail Setup Script

A robust Bash script to create a chroot jail environment for SSH/SFTP users, restricting them to a specific directory on your Linux system.

📖 Overview

This script automates the process of creating a secure chroot jail environment for SSH/SFTP users, limiting their access to only specified directories. This is particularly useful for:

Web server file management
Secure file transfers
Restricting user access to specific application directories
Compliance with security policies

✨ Features

Creates complete chroot jail environment
Sets up necessary device files and libraries
Configures SSHd for chroot access
Supports both SSH and SFTP access modes
Customizable jail directory location
Optional basic command inclusion (ls, date, mkdir)

🛠️ Prerequisites

Linux system (tested on Ubuntu/CentOS)
Bash shell
Root/sudo access
SSH server installed

📦 Installation

Clone or download the script to your server
Make the script executable:
```
chmod +x create_chroot_user.sh
```

Basic Usage

sudo ./create_chroot_user.sh

for the user, they have to do, and enter the password configured above

sftp -v user@host

🔒 Security Notes

The jail directory and its subdirectories must be owned by root
Users should not have write access to the jail structure itself
Regularly update the passwd/group files in the jail if system users change
Consider using key-based authentication for additional security

Reference

https://www.tecmint.com/restrict-ssh-user-to-directory-using-chrooted-jail/