It looks like the problem is in the closing of the data channel. Its happening on the server but not on the proxy so the client hangs waiting for that to happen, unless the command channel closes. Apache, for some reason, closes the command channel after the "226 Closing data connection" is sent. Why? I found this by preventing the command channel from closing on the proxy, and that caused the client to hang after receiving the MLSD response. So the previous behavior was misleading because Apache closing the command channel was being seen by the client which was giving up the session entirely but complaining about the MLSD failing.
So is this a bug in Apache or just a missing piece? How would I catch the 226 response so I could tell the proxy to close the DC? We can't use afterCommand() for PASV because that would cause Apache to open its own DC. So it seems like we have to do an afterCommand() for MLSD, but then we'd have to know this was for a DC and close that DC instead of the Command Channel. Ugh! Thanks. Ken -----Original Message----- From: Kenneth Taylor <kenneth.tay...@dataexpress.com> Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2019 9:01 AM To: ftpserver-users@mina.apache.org Subject: RE: FTP Data Channels Through Reverse Proxy Thanks for the response David. I have used 3 different clients (FileZilla, WinSCP and custom) and they all respond the same. I can see the MLSD response on the Proxy and that its sending it to the client. That's why we are stumped. We cannot see any difference between Proxy and No Proxy. But Apache is closing the Data Channel & Session after sending the MLSD response, and it should not. Connecting direct, the Data Channel does not get closed, but I suppose that could be because Apache is detecting some kind of error that it is not reporting. I've turned the logs all the way up and don't see anything that would help. A network trace might be a good idea. We will try a wireshark scan. One thing that just occurred to me is that Apache may be opening more than one Data Channel and sending the MLSD response down the wrong pipe. Not sure why it would do that since our PASV handler is a direct copy of the Apache one (PASV), except with the change of IP and Port in the reponse. Our Ftplet returns the ResultType of SKIP in the beforeCommand() for PASV which should stop Apache from opening its own data channel, right? Has Apache ever tested this? I would think putting an FTP Server behind a reverse proxy would be VERY common. Our customers demand it. I will have to look at the FTP RFCs again but I don't remember if any messages are supposed to go through the data channel from the client to the server. Could it be that Apache is expecting something on that stream, even if its just an ACK or disconnect? Thanks. Ken -----Original Message----- From: David Latorre <dvl...@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 6:09 PM To: ftpserver-users@mina.apache.org Subject: Re: FTP Data Channels Through Reverse Proxy Ah sorry, I was rechecking something and made a mistake regarding the IP address in the PASV response. In any case, unless you have proof (logs from the server or network traces of the server <-> proxy bit) that the server returns invalid data in the proxy case, I think you should focus on verifying why the client is failing and, if it is caused by an invalid response, why the proxy is generating it. On Thu, 22 Aug 2019, 00:03 David Latorre, <dvl...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Kenneth, > > Shouldn't you receive the proxy address as a response to PASV when > going through the proxy? Otherwise it would bypass the proxy, but I'm > assuming you should not connect directly from the client to the > server and that's why you need a proxy. I'm a bit puzzled since you > state that the proxy receives the response to MLSD but the IP that the > client sees for PASV is the same in both cases. > > Your client log for the proxy case does not show any listing as a > response for MLSD, so it's difficult to know what's going on. If you > cannot get any logs for that, get some network traces with tcpdump and > check what's going on. Enabling more detailed logging in the client > might also help (you can configure that in the Filezilla settings). > Server logs might also prove useful. > > In any case I don't see how this would be caused by Ftpserver with > the information you've given. > > > > On Wed, 21 Aug 2019, 21:56 Kenneth Taylor, > <kenneth.tay...@dataexpress.com> > wrote: > >> We are trying to get Apache FTP Server to work behind a reverse proxy. >> The only thing not working is the data channels. We use an Ftplet to >> intercept and handle the PASV command and substitute our proxy’s IP >> and port in the PASV response. That all seems to work fine. We are >> testing it with FileZilla client and our server works perfectly when >> connecting directly to the server but fails when going through the proxy. >> >> >> >> We can see the data connections being established on both the server >> and the proxy. Our proxy logs every forwarded message and we can see >> that all client and server messages are being forwarded both ways. >> >> >> >> The problem is that after the PASV command happens the next comand is >> MLSD and we can see the server sending the correct response and the >> proxy is forwarding the listing. But the client interprets the >> response incorrectly and closes the session. After looking at this >> for many many hours we’re stumped. >> >> >> >> Our Proxy is a very simple IO streams forwarder, with a control >> connection to tell the Proxy when to open data channels that forward >> back to the data channel opened by Apache on the Server. >> >> >> >> This is the client log when connecting direct: >> >> >> >> 14:10:44 Command: PASV >> >> 14:10:44 Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (192,168,0,173,40,122) >> >> 14:10:44 Trace: Binding data connection source IP to control >> connection source IP 192.168.0.92 >> >> 14:10:44 Command: MLSD >> >> 14:10:44 Response: 150 File status okay; about to open data connection. >> >> 14:10:44 Response: 226 Closing data connection. >> >> 14:10:44 Listing: Size=0;Modify=20190814174646.670;Type=dir; Monthly >> >> 14:10:44 Listing: Size=0;Modify=20190814180307.721;Type=dir; Weekly >> >> 14:10:44 Listing: Size=0;Modify=20190814174833.915;Type=dir; Daily >> >> 14:10:44 Listing: Size=0;Modify=20190814175140.777;Type=dir; Archive >> >> 14:10:44 Status: Directory listing of "/" successful >> >> >> >> This is the client log when connecting through the proxy: >> >> >> >> 14:37:16 Command: PASV >> >> 14:37:16 Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (192,168,0,91,202,228) >> >> 14:37:16 Trace: Binding data connection source IP to control >> connection source IP 192.168.0.173 >> >> 14:37:16 Command: MLSD >> >> 14:37:16 Response: 150 File status okay; about to open data connection. >> >> 14:37:16 Response: 226 Closing data connection. >> >> 14:37:16 Error: Disconnected from server: ECONNABORTED - Connection >> aborted >> >> 14:37:16 Error: Failed to retrieve directory listing >> >> >> >> One weird thing we see is that the “226 Closing data connection” >> shows up on the proxy after the MLSD listing is returned. When >> connecting direct it is before the listing in the client log, but in >> all cases these messages are coming from the same server so that may be a >> logging anomaly. >> >> >> >> Thanks for any help. >> >> Ken >> >> >> >> Disclaimer: This email from DMBGroup LLC, DMB Consulting Services >> LLC, or the personnel associated with either entity (collectively >> "*DMB*") and attachments, contain *CONFIDENTIAL, PRIVILEGED AND >> PROPRIETARY *information for exclusive use of the addressee >> individual(s) or entity. Unauthorized viewing, copying, disclosure, >> distribution or use of this e-mail or attachments may be subject to >> legal restriction or sanction. If received in error, notify sender >> immediately by return e-mail and delete original message and >> attachments. 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