Solving CFFTP Connection Issues with Private Key and Passphrase

When working with CFFTP (Cheetah FTP) to connect to a server that requires a private key and passphrase, you may encounter errors. This article will guide you through the process of troubleshooting and resolving these issues, ensuring a smooth connection.

Understanding the Problem

Upon attempting to connect to a server using CFFTP, you might encounter errors related to encryption or authentication. These issues are particularly common when dealing with servers in countries where encryption laws are strict. One such common error is the C werkzip exception, which may arise due to missing or insufficient ciphering options in the standard Java version.

Fixing the Error

To resolve the error, you need to ensure that your Java environment supports the necessary ciphering options. One effective solution is to download the Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) Unlimited Strength Jurisdiction Policy Files, which can be obtained from the Oracle website.

Step 1: Download the JCE Policy Files

Visit the Oracle website and download the JCE Unlimited Strength Jurisdiction Policy Files 8. Ensure you download the version compatible with your JDK (in this case, JDK 1.8). Follow the instructions provided to extract the files.

Step 2: Replace the Policy Files

Once you have the files, navigate to the directory where the Java policy files are located. For a typical installation of JDK 1.8, this would be:

C:luceejdkjrelibsecurity

Replace the existing local_policy.jar and US_export_policy.jar files with the ones you have downloaded from Oracle. After replacing these files, your Java setup should be able to handle the necessary ciphering options.

Addressing Additional Error: com.jcraft.jsch.JSchException: invalid privatekey: [

During the process of configuring your Java environment, you might encounter another error, specifically:

com.jcraft.jsch.JSchException: invalid privatekey: [

This error typically occurs due to issues with the .ppk file, which is used to store your private key. To resolve this, you need to edit the .ppk file and change the "r" at the end of each line to an "n". Here are the steps to do so:

Open the .ppk file in a text editor (such as Notepad ).

Locate all lines that end with "r".

Change the "r" to "n" at the end of each line.

Save the file and try connecting to the server again.

Conclusion

Connecting to a server with private key and passphrase using CFFTP can be challenging due to various error messages. By ensuring that your Java environment has the necessary ciphering options and properly formatting your private key file, you can resolve these issues and establish a successful connection.