I recently compiled/installed openssh version OpenSSH_5.0p1. I'm trying to make use of the ChrootDirectory to restrict a particular user to only be able to use sftp and in their homedir. From what I've read, I should be able to accomplish this by adding something like this to the sshd_config: Match user jsmith ForceCommand internal-sftp ChrootDirectory /space/storage/jsmith I created user jsmith, with his homedir being /space/storage/jsmith. I restarted sshd. When I try to connect as that user, the following is returned: Connection to 10.2.2.135 closed by remote host. Connection to 10.2.2.135 closed. The sshd log has an entry: Jul 9 21:31:12 happybox sshd[8741]: [ID 800047 local5.crit] fatal: bad ownership or modes for chroot directory "/space/storage/jsmith" The permissions of /space/storage/jsmith seem ok: drwxr-xr-x 3 jsmith other 512 Jul 9 21:19 jsmith The .ssh directory is 700, just like my other users (and myself) who can connect normal. I thought maybe the "ForceCommand internal-sftp" was giving me problems, so I removed that from the sshd_config to see if I could simply make this user have a shell account chroot'd to his homedir. But, the same error was returned. If I remove the entries from the sshd_config file, the user can connect fine, but not chrooted. Are there some specific permissions or entries in my sshd_config that I'm missing? Any help would be great. Thanks!