Openssh-2.3.0p1 protocol 2 problem

[Richard E. Silverman]

> Disconnecting: Bad packet length 795178083.

This usually happens because something injects garbage into the protocol
stream.  For instance, it typically happens when people use sftp but have
a remote shell startup file that prints text to stdout even on
non-interactive logins.  The text gets interpreted by the sftp client as
part of a packet.

This doesn't usually happen when starting a remote shell.  However, notice:

795178083 decimal = 2F657463 hex = 2F 65 74 63 = "/etc" in ASCII

This too much of a coincidence.  Are you starting sshd from inetd?  Maybe
sshd is dying suddenly with an error message that's getting into the
protocol stream (this would be a bug).

> NB: which ftp client could be used with sftp_server?

Any of the sftp clients, e.g. the command-line one with ssh.com-2.3.0, or
in the ssh.com or F-Secure Windows clients.

-- 
  Richard Silverman
  slade at shore.net