Last Second - Week 8: FTP

File Transfer Protocol is a transfer system (or protocol, oddly enough) that allows the simple use of files to be transferred across the internet (via a client/server upload relationship) in order to set up WebPages, upload large documents that cannot be transferred over email and give a reasonable secure set up for storing items online.

Below is a list of Pros and Cons for FTP

According the www.beatificfaith.com/projects (2007) there are good reasons for, and against the use of a FTP system for uploading documents. These are

PROS:
• Quick and Easy to Use: FTP systems are easy to use and set up for most people. Simply download a program (such as FileZilla or Fetch) and look through various fields that you want to upload.
• Various Programs: There are lots of programs (many of which are free to download) that will allow you to use a FTP server. However, the mostly widely used are FileZilla and Fetch for Mac based products.
• Online Help: As the protocol has been in use for over 25 years, there is a lot of information on the web to coax you through the entire process of using FTP.

CONS:
• Security Issues: All passwords are sent over to the FTP system using plain text, making it very easy for online criminals to gather information about your files, and possible even place viruses on your server.
• Filter Issues: It is hard to keep files out of your FTP server for this very same reason. Spammers love FTP.

Minimilising Risks inherent to FTP:

The IBM Public Library (http://publib.boulder.ibm.com, 2005) states many ways to lower risks when using FTP systems. These include:
• Making FTP controls more restrictive
• Write exit programs for FTP, so that when files are transferred they are locked, and are not able to be modified.
• To minimilise ‘denial of service’ attacks (where a hacker attempts to log into your account so many times that it locks the system), you can also use various FTP server exit programs.
• Allowing only one person to access the FTP site.
• Use Secure Sockets Layers to lock and encrypt transferred files.