Technical Notes

"Error: unknown option -t" or "Error: unknown option -f"
Technical Note 2488
Last Reviewed 11-Feb-2010
Applies To
Reflection for Secure IT UNIX Server version 7.1 Service Pack 2
Summary

This technical note describes an issue in Reflection for Secure IT UNIX Server 7.1 SP2 with scp commands and some scp clients, which results in an error message: "Error: unknown option -t" or "Error: unknown option -f." The problem description and resolution are provided.

Problem

When an "scp1" client that uses RCP (for example, an OpenSSH scp client) attempts to transfer a file to or from Reflection for Secure IT UNIX Server 7.1 SP2, an error occurs:

PUT files:

GET files:

Note: This issue is specific to Reflection for Secure IT UNIX Server 7.1 SP2 (7.1.2.26) and has no security implications; earlier versions are not affected. Any scp command line client that uses sftp for file transfers is not affected. For example, scp transfers from Reflection for Secure IT UNIX Client or Reflection Windows products with the scp command line utility are not affected.

Solution

This issue is fixed in Hotfix 7.1.2.27 for Reflection for Secure IT UNIX Server 7.1+SP2 and is available from the Attachmate download site.

To Obtain the Hotfix

To obtain the appropriate package, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Attachmate download site and under Reflection for Secure IT UNIX Server, click Download.
2. Scroll to the “Hotfix or Test Fix” section and select the Hotfix 7.2.1.27 Reflection for Secure IT UNIX Server 7.1+SP2 package appropriate for your platform.

Note that while the legal information displayed for this hotfix states that it is provided without warranty, you can run this hotfix in a production environment and Attachmate will support this hotfix at the same level as the current product version.

Installing the Hotfix

To install the hotfix, you must first uninstall your current Reflection for Secure IT installation (7.1.2.26), and then reinstall the hotfix (7.1.2.27). See the User Guide for installation instructions specific to your platform: http://support.attachmate.com/manuals/rsit_unix.html.

Once installed, the server’s protocol version string will be reported as follows:

The ssh / scp / sftp –V command line option will report that the version is 7.1.2.27.

Related Technical Notes

1999	Reflection for Secure IT Technical Notes