FTP Hacking on the Rise

yahoi writes "The disco-era File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is making a comeback, but not in a good way — spammers are now using the old-school file transfer technology to serve up bot malware, and even as a backdoor into some enterprises that neglect to lock down their oft-forgotten FTP servers. Researchers at F-Secure have spotted a new wave of exploits that use FTP — rather than a malicious URL, or an email attachment — to deliver their malware payloads because few gateways scan for FTP attachments these days."

Comments

Different protocol, but same stupidity

[DigitalSorceress]

Well, for my money, anyone who blindly clicks on a link.... FTP or HTTP and runs an executable that comes from it is going to get infected regardless of what protocol was used for it.

The fact that a lot of gateways prevent certain actions based on the protocol just makes the "any key" users blindly click on stuff without worry - after all, they've "got protection"

When it comes to any infection vector that involves social engineering, your brain (should you choose to use it) is your best virus protection.

FTP is BAD! About DAMN time THAT makes press

[spitek]

Clear TXT PASSWD = BAD Might as well bend over. I've made my hosting customers use SFTP/SCP for YEARS. Been very happy I have. Just like POP3 one day.. IF we are lucky people will stop using it. It's like sending your tax return to the IRS in a clear envelope with your name birth date and SS # showing. Just plan STUPID!

Re:Uh oh

[fizzup]

I think you may have misunderstood. RFC 114 refers to FTP, which is from the 70s. The poster was talking about scp, which is certainly from the mid-90s.

Now, whether 1971 counts as disco-era is another question. I would say that it is pre-disco, since every school child knows that the disco era started with Soul Makossa in 1973.

Re:Uh oh

[HTH NE1]

Hmm, scp has built-in support for transfering an entire directory with one command natively, but sftp can be used to transfer files between two servers while being controlled from a third site such that the transfer doesn't pass through the controlling client (useful for maintaining from a dial-up connection two high-speed servers that don't grant shell access).

Decisions, decisions.