How to set up secure file transfer
How Necessary Is It to Use Secure File Transfer Protocols?
The web plays host to all manner of users; from innocent parties hoping to communicate and interact with family members, all the way to career criminals that make a living out of stealing data and committing fraudulent activities. Many people don’t realise just how exposed their information is when using the internet – in fact security companies do such a great job at protecting people that most will browse in complete ignorance.
Unfortunately, there are times where these individuals may stumble across particularly nasty pieces of software – especially those that are developed by hackers. This software can be used to swipe, harvest and collate data as we browse. Every day, countless gigabytes of information is transferred around the internet and although most will be unimportant pieces of code, there are other types that can be used for criminal purposes.
Who’s at risk?
Anyone logging in, sending files and interacting with the internet can be at risk of online fraud – with those that send documents often being at the most risk. As this data is transmitted, it’s often broken apart in to individual bytes and then transferred to its intended destination. Without the property security and encryption, it’s this data that can put a user at the most risk.
Fortunately, secure file transfer features are becoming more and more common, with thousands of websites now encrypting the data of their users, as well as a host of software providers following suit. When a file is sent to a recipient in an encrypted manner, it can be impossible for even the most technologically advanced software to decipher the code.
Although security protocols have been used since the earliest form of the World Wide Web was made available. These days, and thanks in no small part to the development of binary features and encryption facilities, security has never been more prominent. Government gateways and authorities were the first to implement these features, followed soon after by a host of other industries hoping to protect the information of their users.
What can happen if secure protocols aren’t used?
FTP and SFS services are so common now that it can be pretty hard to find a host or server that won’t employ at least one of them. If they aren’t used however (as can be the case with websites operating within particularly unsavoury niches), then a user’s ability to remain protected will be nullified.
Considering that the average person will transfer no fewer than 200mb of data on a weekly basis, if any of this information relates to IP addresses, MAC addresses, or other identifiable data – the potential for the person to fall victim to fraud and theft will be far more substantial. When transferring files, it’s always best to do so using a secure platform. Only ever use trusted software when transferring documents, as anything less simply might not have the relevant protocols in place to protect the user.