Description of problem:
I suspect this is the same bug as the one causing problems with mysql and postgresql: something has a home directory of /var/ftp, and when it attempts to log in (as a result of a hack attempt), it triggers an SELinux error.

Additional info:
libreport version: 2.0.18
kernel:         3.6.3-1.fc17.x86_64

description:
:SELinux is preventing /usr/sbin/sshd from 'search' accesses on the directory /var/ftp.
:
:*****  Plugin catchall (100. confidence) suggests  ***************************
:
:If you believe that sshd should be allowed search access on the ftp directory by default.
:Then you should report this as a bug.
:You can generate a local policy module to allow this access.
:Do
:allow this access for now by executing:
:# grep sshd /var/log/audit/audit.log | audit2allow -M mypol
:# semodule -i mypol.pp
:
:Additional Information:
:Source Context                system_u:system_r:sshd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023
:Target Context                system_u:object_r:public_content_t:s0
:Target Objects                /var/ftp [ dir ]
:Source                        sshd
:Source Path                   /usr/sbin/sshd
:Port                          <Unknown>
:Host                          (removed)
:Source RPM Packages           openssh-server-5.9p1-27.fc17.x86_64
:Target RPM Packages           vsftpd-3.0.0-2.fc17.x86_64
:Policy RPM                    selinux-policy-3.10.0-156.fc17.noarch
:Selinux Enabled               True
:Policy Type                   targeted
:Enforcing Mode                Enforcing
:Host Name                     (removed)
:Platform                      Linux (removed) 3.6.3-1.fc17.x86_64 #1 SMP Mon Oct
:                              22 15:32:35 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64
:Alert Count                   40
:First Seen                    2012-06-25 20:55:27 BST
:Last Seen                     2012-11-07 21:48:15 GMT
:Local ID                      d614be89-ff1a-4d8c-a636-e4e7424de233
:
:Raw Audit Messages
:type=AVC msg=audit(1352324895.219:8895): avc:  denied  { search } for  pid=21013 comm="sshd" name="ftp" dev="dm-5" ino=3407873 scontext=system_u:system_r:sshd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 tcontext=system_u:object_r:public_content_t:s0 tclass=dir
:
:
:type=SYSCALL msg=audit(1352324895.219:8895): arch=x86_64 syscall=stat success=no exit=EACCES a0=7f2468d5f730 a1=7fff85f8e900 a2=7fff85f8e900 a3=65646e692d676e69 items=0 ppid=1635 pid=21013 auid=4294967295 uid=0 gid=0 euid=0 suid=0 fsuid=0 egid=0 sgid=0 fsgid=0 tty=(none) ses=4294967295 comm=sshd exe=/usr/sbin/sshd subj=system_u:system_r:sshd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 key=(null)
:
:Hash: sshd,sshd_t,public_content_t,dir,search
:
:audit2allow
:
:#============= sshd_t ==============
:allow sshd_t public_content_t:dir search;
:
:audit2allow -R
:
:#============= sshd_t ==============
:allow sshd_t public_content_t:dir search;
: