Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP

Hey All,

After a server reboot none of the users in the office can log into it using WinSCP anymore. All users are using password protected .ppk keys. They can still log in fine via putty (w. pageant) and I can log in fine using shell (ie. not a server problem) - just not using WinSCP.

Below is an extract of the servers authlog:

Jun 14 14:38:54 r2d2 sshd[7744]: Accepted publickey for username from 41.134.48.225 port 3127 ssh2
Jun 14 14:38:55 r2d2 sshd[7746]: (pam_unix) session opened for user username by (uid=0)
Jun 14 14:38:55 r2d2 sshd[7746]: subsystem request for sftp
Jun 14 14:38:55 r2d2 sshd[7746]: (pam_unix) session closed for user username

Here is the WinSCP logs:

https://pastebin.com/kgmPDNvV

Please assist/advise...

Thanks,
Charl

charl_young wrote:

(ie. not a server problem)

I was wrong - server problem indeed and a very strange one...

One of the users (a Netherlands supporter) was sick at home yesterday ;) and he was able to log in this morning with no problems. So I checked /etc/passwd and he belonged to the root group where all other users having this problem belonged to another.

So, this is n new (quite bizarre) problem and not WinSCP's :)

Cheers,
Charl

For details about error message "Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server?" see:
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/message_cannot_initialize_sftp_protocol