Question for security experts

JohnMcCabe · 09-08-2009, 12:43 PM

Are there any serious concerns using VPN on Vista for ftp instead of a third-party ftp program like FileZilla? Any advantages using a dedicated ftp program?

Thanks in advance...

zapseo · 09-08-2009, 01:04 PM

John,

Not sure about vpn -- however, using sftp (ftp thru ssh) is more secure than using ftp.

I won't go into the reasons for that here, but I've started switching to using sftp with filezilla and actually feel that I get faster responses in addition to better security.

Live JoyFully!

Judy Kettenhofen, copywriter, writer, & "marketer's geek"

seasoned · 09-08-2009, 03:17 PM

If the VPN uses TAPI, you may have problems! Until very recently, openvpn and linksys/cisco VPN did NOT work on VISTA! That is a problem Microsoft INTENTIONALLY created.

Judy is right, SFTP is pretty secure and IT works on Vista! BTW VPN basically allows you to connect to a remote system. The connection to the VPN from the client software, and on the remote LAN are NOT protected! SFTP protects everything from the client software to the server software. So it can be argued that it is MORE secure.

Steve

Intrepreneur · 09-08-2009, 03:20 PM

As long as you have a firewall, and staying off sites known for hackers, you'll be doing OK.

There's only so much you can do, and realistically there's only so much they can do too. The most common form of hacking on the web today and one hackers will concentrate most of their efforts on is phishsing, as hacking though a systems ports is much harder and much more likely to fail!

seasoned · 09-08-2009, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intrepreneur

As long as you have a firewall, and staying off sites known for hackers, you'll be doing OK.

There's only so much you can do, and realistically there's only so much they can do too. The most common form of hacking on the web today and one hackers will concentrate most of their efforts on is phishsing, as hacking though a systems ports is much harder and much more likely to fail!

Firewalls are NO GOOD HERE, unless you are talking about FTPs in a local lan, and one or more systems are accessing the internet from it, for something else.

Steve

GuerrillaIM · 09-08-2009, 05:01 PM

SFTP is more secure than FTP. FTP logon information can be easily sniffed and is vulnerable to other threats also.

JohnMcCabe · 09-08-2009, 05:26 PM

Thanks to all. I'm just getting used to Vista, having had to make a sudden replacement to my office desktop. Someone suggested I didn't need an FTP program to upload files to my sites, I could just connect with a VPN connection.

When I stepped through the setup process, I got a warning that sending files and passwords was not secure. So I thought I'd ask here if I was borrowing trouble.

I wasn't real comfortable with the idea anyway, figuring if I could connect from here to there, someone who got in there could also get here, if you follow my drift.

Looks like I'll be going with FileZilla and SFTP.

seasoned · 09-08-2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe

Thanks to all. I'm just getting used to Vista, having had to make a sudden replacement to my office desktop. Someone suggested I didn't need an FTP program to upload files to my sites, I could just connect with a VPN connection.

When I stepped through the setup process, I got a warning that sending files and passwords was not secure. So I thought I'd ask here if I was borrowing trouble.

I wasn't real comfortable with the idea anyway, figuring if I could connect from here to there, someone who got in there could also get here, if you follow my drift.

Looks like I'll be going with FileZilla and SFTP.

The whole idea behind a firewall is that it makes the area on one side UNROUTABLE or UNREACHABLE from the other. SO, if you hook a system to the internet, YOU can connect to the internet, but IT can't connect to YOU. It is like a wall. Once you throw something over, IT'S PUBLIC! EVERYONE can see it!

A VPN is LIKE a firewall. AGAIN, the internet can't connect over it, and IT CAN connect to the internet. The DIFFERENCE is that VPN allows ANOTHER similar VPN client to punch through it. AGAIN, ANYTHING thrown over is visible prior to the VPN client, and after the VPN server.

FTP actually sends data between two systems. AGAIN, PUBLIC!!!!!!!

SFTP is DIFFERENT! The server sends one key(public), and the client uses that to ENCRYPT the data. It is sent to the server which uses a PUBLIC key to DECRYPT the data. So data intercepted looks like GARBAGE! It is the same technology HTTPS uses to hide credit card info.

BTW I am not familiar with ANY VPN standard that transfers data. VPN is basically an IP enhancement. It is a MEDIA, NOT an application.

Steve

09-08-2009, 12:43 PM	#1
JohnMcCabe Happy Hooker War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North of the Peace River, Southwest Florida, USA. Posts: 7,623 Thanks: 2,685 Thanked 4,391 Times in 2,394 Posts Social Networking	Question for security experts Are there any serious concerns using VPN on Vista for ftp instead of a third-party ftp program like FileZilla? Any advantages using a dedicated ftp program? Thanks in advance...
	Salad is not food. Salad is what food eats... -- The REAL PETA, People for Eating Tasty Animals "I did not fight my way to the top of the food chain to eat tofu!"

09-08-2009, 01:04 PM	#2
zapseo Judy K - WSOTD Copywriter War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Jose (Silicon Valley), CA , USA. Posts: 4,617 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 151 Thanked 238 Times in 162 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Question for security experts John, Not sure about vpn -- however, using sftp (ftp thru ssh) is more secure than using ftp. I won't go into the reasons for that here, but I've started switching to using sftp with filezilla and actually feel that I get faster responses in addition to better security. Live JoyFully! Judy Kettenhofen, copywriter, writer, & "marketer's geek"
	WSOTD Copy ... check the last usernote... ==> Kick Your Sales Copy Into High Gear -- "like having your own copywriting course" -- April Coggins Get Free 33 Amazing Marketing Reports by $250K+ marketers @@ Tweet Me! @@

09-08-2009, 03:17 PM	#3
seasoned Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: , , USA. Posts: 11,102 Thanks: 1,444 Thanked 742 Times in 645 Posts	Re: Question for security experts If the VPN uses TAPI, you may have problems! Until very recently, openvpn and linksys/cisco VPN did NOT work on VISTA! That is a problem Microsoft INTENTIONALLY created. Judy is right, SFTP is pretty secure and IT works on Vista! BTW VPN basically allows you to connect to a remote system. The connection to the VPN from the client software, and on the remote LAN are NOT protected! SFTP protects everything from the client software to the server software. So it can be argued that it is MORE secure. Steve

09-08-2009, 03:20 PM	#4
Intrepreneur I.C.Hope War Room Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 2,515 Thanks: 446 Thanked 227 Times in 181 Posts Contact Info	Re: Question for security experts As long as you have a firewall, and staying off sites known for hackers, you'll be doing OK. There's only so much you can do, and realistically there's only so much they can do too. The most common form of hacking on the web today and one hackers will concentrate most of their efforts on is phishsing, as hacking though a systems ports is much harder and much more likely to fail!
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09-08-2009, 05:01 PM	#6
GuerrillaIM One Man Army War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,890 Thanks: 93 Thanked 309 Times in 182 Posts	Re: Question for security experts SFTP is more secure than FTP. FTP logon information can be easily sniffed and is vulnerable to other threats also.
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09-08-2009, 05:26 PM	#7
JohnMcCabe Happy Hooker War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North of the Peace River, Southwest Florida, USA. Posts: 7,623 Thanks: 2,685 Thanked 4,391 Times in 2,394 Posts Social Networking	Re: Question for security experts Thanks to all. I'm just getting used to Vista, having had to make a sudden replacement to my office desktop. Someone suggested I didn't need an FTP program to upload files to my sites, I could just connect with a VPN connection. When I stepped through the setup process, I got a warning that sending files and passwords was not secure. So I thought I'd ask here if I was borrowing trouble. I wasn't real comfortable with the idea anyway, figuring if I could connect from here to there, someone who got in there could also get here, if you follow my drift. Looks like I'll be going with FileZilla and SFTP.
	Salad is not food. Salad is what food eats... -- The REAL PETA, People for Eating Tasty Animals "I did not fight my way to the top of the food chain to eat tofu!"