NUHMAN.com

❓ Question

I have SFTP credentials from FileZilla (host, port, username, and password). Can I convert this to a private key and use it with jsftp or any Node.js SFTP client?

🚫 Short Answer: No, You Cannot Convert Username/Password to a Private Key

A private key is part of an asymmetric cryptographic pair (private & public keys) used in key-based authentication, which is fundamentally different from username/password authentication.

FileZilla credentials (host, username, password) do not and cannot generate or be converted into a valid SSH private key.

🧠 Understanding the Difference

FeatureUsername/PasswordPrivate Key AuthenticationSimpler to set up✅ Yes❌ Needs key-pair setupMore secure❌ Vulnerable to leaks✅ Secure and encryptedReusable programmatically✅✅Requires private key?❌ No✅ Yes (and matching public key)

🛠️ How to Switch to Key-Based Authentication (Optional)

If you control the SFTP server or have access, you can generate a private/public key pair and use that instead.

✅ Step 1: Generate Key Pair (Locally)

bash

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048 -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa

• This generates:
• id_rsa: your private key
• id_rsa.pub: your public key

✅ Step 2: Add Public Key to Server

Copy the contents of id_rsa.pub into the remote server's file:

bash

~/.ssh/authorized_keys

(You'll need access to the remote server to do this.)

🚫 Why JSFTP Won’t Work Here

jsftp is designed for FTP, not SFTP (which uses SSH under the hood). It doesn’t support:

• Secure connections over SSH
• Private key authentication
• Encrypted file transfers via SFTP

👉 Use ssh2-sftp-client instead.

✅ Recommended: Use ssh2-sftp-client with Private Key

Here’s how you can connect using a private key:

javascript

const Client = require('ssh2-sftp-client');
const fs = require('fs');
const sftp = new Client();

sftp.connect({
  host: 'your-host.com',
  port: 22,
  username: 'your-username',
  privateKey: fs.readFileSync('/path/to/id_rsa')
}).then(() => {
  return sftp.list('/remote/path');
}).then(data => {
  console.log('Directory listing:', data);
}).catch(err => {
  console.error('SFTP Error:', err.message);
});

🔐 Can I Use Password Instead of Private Key?

Yes! If the server supports password authentication, you can also connect like this:

javascript

sftp.connect({
  host: 'your-host.com',
  port: 22,
  username: 'your-username',
  password: 'your-password'
})

This approach is less secure, but it works if you don’t have access to the server’s .ssh directory to add a public key.

📁 Where Does FileZilla Store My Credentials?

• FileZilla stores saved connections in:
• ~/.config/filezilla/sitemanager.xml (Linux/macOS)
• %APPDATA%\FileZilla\sitemanager.xml (Windows)
• ⚠️ Passwords may be stored in plaintext if you chose to remember them.

✅ Final Recommendation

ScenarioRecommendationYou have only username/passwordUse ssh2-sftp-client with passwordYou want better securityGenerate and use SSH key pairUsing FileZilla onlyNo conversion to private keyNeed SFTP in Node.jsUse ssh2-sftp-client (not jsftp)

🤝 Summary

• 🔐 Private keys cannot be created from SFTP usernames/passwords.
• 🔁 If you control the server, switch to key-based authentication by generating a key pair.
• ⚙️ Use ssh2-sftp-client for proper Node.js SFTP support, including key and password authentication.