Beginning with SAS 9.4M9, the use of the FILENAME SFTP access method is prohibited if you launch SAS in LOCKDOWN mode or with the NOXCMD option in place.

This change was made as a security enhancement.

Currently, the error messages displayed when the SFTP ACCESS method is blocked are misleading. The errors reference "invalid options" in the FILENAME statement instead of providing information that the SFTP FILENAME access method is not allowed.

Here is an excerpt from the SAS log that contains the error:

%put Version: &sysvlong ;
Version: 9.04.01M9P060425

%put XCMD: %sysfunc(getoption(XCMD)) ;
XCMD: NOXCMD

%put LOCKDOWN: %sysfunc(getoption(LOCKDOWN)) ;
LOCKDOWN: NOLOCKDOWN

filename ttt sftp "hello_&sysjobid..txt" host="remote.host.sas.com"

23
ERROR 23-2: Invalid option name user.

cd="/remote/testLib"
__
23
ERROR 23-2: Invalid option name cd.

ERROR: Error in the FILENAME statement.

A fix will be provided to produce more accurate error messages.

Note that the only way to enable the use of the SFTP FILENAME access method is to ensure that both the XCMD and NOLOCKDOWN system options are in effect for the SAS session.