sftp script to get a file from remote machine

Question

I use a script, which contains the line:

sftp    [email protected]:/dir/file.txt

When I run the script, it asks for my password:

[email protected]'s password:

However, I don't want to be prompted to type my password. I want my script automate the password entry and download the files

Guys, I don't want to do it. All I want to catch that prompt inside the script and put password. Is it possible?

sshpass belong to bash?

this is not working at all

Solution 1

SFTP is basically SSH + SFTP on the server side so what you need is some kind of non-interactive authentication such as private and public keys. Depending on OS you are using, you can generate a key using ssh-keygen and copy a public key to the server using ssh-copy-id command.

Solution 2

The best simple way:

sshpass -p 'password123' scp -- [email protected]:/dir/file.txt /local/dir

sshpass must be work and for sftp too... Don't forget check permissions for script with writed password.

UPD: you need to install sshpass by command (for debian-based distro):

apt-get install sshpass

Solution 3

Another way to automate this process is to use expect script. Here is an example:

for example:

  #!/usr/bin/expect -f
   spawn sftp [email protected]:/dir/file.txt
   expect "[email protected]'s password :"
   send "mypassword123\r"
   send "exit\r"

You can get more info on expect from here or just google it

Solution 4

You should use key-based authentication so you don't need a password in the first place.

Here's a detailed howto about how to do it: http://www.debian-administration.org/article/530/SSH_with_authentication_key_instead_of_password

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Comments

[Admin]

Sometimes we don't have the option of setting up keys with 3rd party FTP sites. If you don't know, or you can't do it, you should just say so.

[tricasse]

This can be insecure, as it will show your password to anyone able to have a look at the processes running on your machine. Key-based authentication or at least an expect script are better.

[Tejaswini Utlapalli]

Provided that the administrator of the machine allows subscribers to use key-based authentication.