When working with Apache web servers on Linux, the default web root directory /var/www/html typically has restrictive permissions set. The output drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jul 15 7:18 www shows:

• Owned by root:root
• Permissions 755 (rwxr-xr-x)

While you could simply run chmod 777 /var/www/html, this would be terrible practice from a security standpoint. Instead, we'll implement proper group-based permissions.

Here's the secure way to handle this:

# Check if www-data group exists (common on Debian/Ubuntu)
sudo grep www-data /etc/group

# On CentOS/RHEL/Amazon Linux, the group is often called apache instead
sudo grep apache /etc/group

# Add your user to the appropriate group
sudo usermod -a -G apache ec2-user  # For Amazon Linux
# OR
sudo usermod -a -G www-data ec2-user  # For Ubuntu

# Change group ownership of web directory
sudo chown -R :apache /var/www/html  # Amazon Linux
# OR
sudo chown -R :www-data /var/www/html  # Ubuntu

# Set correct permissions
sudo chmod -R 2775 /var/www/html

# Apply the changes by logging out and back in
exit

For more granular control, consider using ACLs:

sudo setfacl -R -m u:ec2-user:rwx /var/www/html
sudo setfacl -R -m d:u:ec2-user:rwx /var/www/html

After making these changes, check the new permissions:

ls -ld /var/www/html
# Should show something like: drwxrwsr-x+

In FileZilla's site manager, ensure you're using:

• Protocol: SFTP
• Logon Type: Key file
• User: ec2-user
• Key file: Your .pem file

If you still encounter issues:

1. Verify SELinux context if applicable: ls -Z /var/www/html
2. Check for parent directory restrictions
3. Ensure you've logged out and back in after group changes

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When you encounter "write permission denied" errors while trying to access /var/www/html via SFTP (using FileZilla or other clients), it's typically a Linux filesystem permissions problem. The key information from your ls -l output shows:

drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jul 15 7:18 www

This means the /var/www directory is owned by root with permissions 755 (read/execute for everyone, write only for owner).

On AWS EC2 instances, you typically login as ec2-user which doesn't automatically have write access to system directories like /var/www. This is actually a security feature - you wouldn't want web directories writable by default.

Option 1: Add User to Apache Group

First, check if your system uses www-data or apache as the web server group:

ls -l /var/www/html
groups ec2-user

If you see the group is different (common on CentOS/Amazon Linux):

sudo usermod -a -G apache ec2-user
sudo chown -R ec2-user:apache /var/www/html
sudo chmod -R 2775 /var/www/html

The 2775 sets the SGID bit so new files inherit the group.

Option 2: Create a Symlink from Home Directory

For development environments, you might prefer:

mkdir ~/www
sudo rm -rf /var/www/html
sudo ln -s /home/ec2-user/www /var/www/html
sudo chown ec2-user:ec2-user ~/www

Option 3: Use ACLs for Fine-Grained Control

For more complex permission scenarios:

sudo setfacl -R -m u:ec2-user:rwx /var/www/html
sudo setfacl -R -m d:u:ec2-user:rwx /var/www/html

After making changes:

sudo -u ec2-user touch /var/www/html/testfile
ls -la /var/www/html

If the test file creates successfully, your SFTP client should now work.

Always:

• Use the least privilege needed
• Never make /var/www/html world-writable (777)
• Consider using separate user accounts for SFTP vs. system administration

If permissions are correct but FileZilla still fails:

1. In FileZilla Site Manager, ensure protocol is SFTP (not FTP)
2. Set server type to "Unix" in Transfer Settings
3. Try alternative clients like WinSCP for testing