Lets Talk abou FTP
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I was looking at headlines a few minutes ago and ran into this little gem:
FTP Is Simple but Open to Leaks
Jul 11, 3:23 PM (ET)
By ANICK JESDANUNNEW YORK (AP) - The Internet was a mere 19 months old when engineers first developed a file-sharing system still in wide use today.
Although many of the technologies from those early days eventually faded away, replaced by newer developments such as the World Wide Web and search engines, file transfer protocol remains a common way for distributing larger files and updating Web sites, thanks to its simplicity and versatility.
This article takes a little over 400 words to talk about FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and the fact that it’s not designed with a lot of security in mind. The writer says all this without actually saying WHY this point has to be made. No alternative protocol is offered, no suggestion or call for something more secure is made.
As far as that article goes it is technically correct. Security was not a major factor when the protocol was designed, the point then was getting the job done with minimum fuss. The fact that the protocol hasn’t changed in all these years is because for most people there really isnt any need for anything different. When updating websites or downloading something, good old reliable FTP is the simplest, easiest way to do the job.
That’s not to say that there is never a need for secure transfers and for that matter, it’s not to say that FTP cannot be done in a secure manner because it can. FTP can be done over an SSH connection which is encrypted. Have a look at this Wikipedia page about SSH file transfer protocol
Given this, there’s no reason for that article to have been written other than to put needless fear and worry into people about their use of FTP connections.
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Technorati Tags: ftp, secure+ftp, sftp, ssh, ftp+over+ssh, sponsored+post
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I have never understood why some people find it necessary to spread Fear, Unrest, and Disorder just for the sake of making people panic.
Did you notice how the end of the article made it sound as though anyone with an FTP program could log in to YOUR computer anonymously and download anything and everything?
The username is typically “anonymous” and the password can be anything, meaning everyone on the Internet has access to your files and servers that aren’t configured correctly.
This person has no clue about the technology they’re attempting to write about!
I’ve never much liked FTP-ing.
I’m going to look into the matter.
Thanks!
I Agree with you, since this time the FTP developed never talk about a security, BUT ’til this time the FTP users still felt save used that. I’m still looking for a tuts FTP via DOS.. could you please give me a referal?