Re: file sharing

[Lou Quillio <public -at- quillio -dot- com>]

obair wrote:
> Our ftp site is not working, and won't be for some time.

Tangent:  let's hope it never works again.  FTP is insecure,
shouldn't be used for business, and generally shouldn't be used at all.

I know what you're thinking.  Not every piece of data is sensitive.
 Why get hinky over mundane file transmissions?

That's not it.  Somebody could camp on most of my file transfers,
sniff and stitch those packets, and they'd be totally disappointed
by the files I'm moving.  Usually no big deal.

I know what you're thinking.  "If they're sensitive, I'll encrypt
the files before FTP-ing."

That won't get it either.

The bad guys aren't dumb.  They don't need to snatch your files in
transit.  They want your FTP username and passwd, which FTP
conveniently transmits in cleartext.  Armed with your account data
they can log-in any time.  Hmm, wonder which other services use the
same login.  Worth a crack.

SSH or SFTP, always.  Always.  Yes because the files traverse an
encrypted tunnel but, more critically, so do your login credentials.

Re commercial services, same deal.  Transfers *and* logins must take
place over HTTPS at a minimum.  Must.  If not, you must assume
they've been compromised, because you can't know that they haven't
been.  Must Assume Compromise.

FTP will bite you, eventually, and you won't even know.

Any questions?  ;)

LQ
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