How to run the sftp command with a password from Bash script?

Question

I need to transfer a log file to a remote host using sftp from a Linux host. I have been provided credentials for the same from my operations group. However, since I don\'t

Answer 1

You can use sshpass for it. Below are the steps

1. Install sshpass For Ubuntu - sudo apt-get install sshpass
2. Add the Remote IP to your known-host file if it is first time For Ubuntu -> ssh user@IP -> enter 'yes'
3. give a combined command of scp and sshpass for it. Below is a sample code for war coping to remote tomcat sshpass -p '#Password_For_remote_machine' scp /home/ubuntu/latest_build/abc.war #user@#RemoteIP:/var/lib/tomcat7/webapps

Answer 2

Another way would be to use lftp:

lftp sftp://user:password@host  -e "put local-file.name; bye"

The disadvantage of this method is that other users on the computer can read the password from tools like ps and that the password can become part of your shell history.

A more secure alternative which is available since LFTP 4.5.0 is setting the LFTP_PASSWORDenvironment variable and executing lftp with --env-password. Here's a full example:

LFTP_PASSWORD="just_an_example"
lftp --env-password sftp://user@host  -e "put local-file.name; bye"

LFTP also includes a cool mirroring feature (can include delete after confirmed transfer --Remove-source-files):

lftp -e 'mirror -R /local/log/path/ /remote/path/' --env-password -u user sftp.foo.com

Answer 3

You can use lftp interactively in a shell script so the password not saved in .bash_history or similar by doing the following:

vi test_script.sh

Add the following to your file:

#!/bin/sh
HOST=<yourhostname>
USER=<someusername>
PASSWD=<yourpasswd>

cd <base directory for your put file>

lftp<<END_SCRIPT
open sftp://$HOST
user $USER $PASSWD
put local-file.name
bye
END_SCRIPT

And write/quit the vi editor after you edit the host, user, pass, and directory for your put file typing :wq .Then make your script executable chmod +x test_script.sh and execute it ./test_script.sh.