I would like to know how the windows based FTP client protects the data in transit against unauthorized access by malicious persons. I would also like to know the security mechanisms that the protocol implements in order to ensure the security of the data.
Hi Karla,
Transit of data between ftp client and server is secured through encryption, authentication and data integrity. Authentication is achieved through the use of the AUTH command. The server responds to this command by allowing the transfer or not. If accepted, the client now uses the USER command to identify itself on the sever. This is called authorization.
FTP supports the TLS (Transport Layer Security) or the SSL (Secure Socket Layer) as a protocol that performs secure and encrypted TCP transmissions.
These protocols ensure that data is encrypted before sending and is correctly decrypted on the receiver end. This ensures that incase an unauthorized person gets access to the data while in transit, the person cannot figure out the true contents of the data.
