For companies both large and small, transferring digital files over their network is an essential business practice. FTP servers, or File Transfer Protocol, are easy file transfer services that allow users to efficiently upload and download large files from a server. While FTP is the most traditional type of file transfer, it does not provide much security to protect files from being stolen. However, today there is a critical need for data loss prevention solutions to prevent the risk of a cyber attack. Stories of cyber crime have dominated the headlines this year, giving companies all the more reason to ensure that they know how to secure ftp servers on their network.

How to Secure FTP Servers

1. Don’t Allow Anonymous Access – Many FTP software programs allow anyone to gain access to the FTP site unless instructed otherwise. While this may be helpful for some FTP services to be performed, it ultimately puts a company’s data at risk. Disabling anonymous access means that only users with an authenticated account will be able to access the FTP site.
2. Record Usage – An important part of reducing the risk of a cyber attack is keeping track of who is logging onto the system. Luckily, most FTP software allows a client to record an accurate record of which IP addresses and users have been on the FTP site. Knowing who is gaining access to the site can alert clients to any suspicious behavior or unauthorized users.
3. Restrict Logon Times – FTP software allows clients to restrict the times of day that users are able to gain access to the FTP site, decreasing the risk of entry by an unauthorized user. A business may want to only authorize access to the FTP site during working hours so that no one can logon when the office is closed. By restricting logon hours, hackers have less time to attempt to gain access to the site.
4. Require Strong Passwords – Another way to secure an FTP site is to require users to create stronger passwords, which will make it more difficult for unauthorized users to guess usernames and passwords. Clients can do this by requiring passwords to contain a certain number and a certain type of characters. For example, maybe a password needs to be at least eight characters long and contain at least one number, upper and lowercase letters and a special character, such as a period, question mark or exclamation point.

Knowing how to secure FTP servers is crucial for companies that use a FTP site and want to protect files that are stored and transferred over it. With cyber crime becoming a common theme among both large and small companies, security is of the utmost importance. For more information, read this website.