FTP Servers and Security - Three methods that Secure FTP Servers use
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) has been the basis for file transfer since the dawn of the internet. The truly remarkable feature about FTP was that it was operating system independent. Files could be smoothly transferred between Unix, Windows and any other operating system. The other cool feature about FTP was that a simple validation mechanism consisting of a username and a password could be used to limit access to files. However, the actual data itself was transferred unencrypted and it was easy to intercept and listen in on an FTP connection. The internet itself had very minimal security built into it. Consisting of many smaller independent networks that stretched across the globe, the path that a data packet took to get from point A to point B was unpredictable. With the popularity of the internet, it became essential to be able to transmit many types of critical data with some amount of security. Netscape Communications solved the security problem on the internet by developing the Secure Sockets Layer Protocol (SSL) which used public key cryptography to encrypt data transmitted over the internet. This is still the widely accepted security mechanism and is implemented by all web browsers. FTPS Secure File Transfer Modifications to the FTP protocol were proposed to incorporate the use of SSL for encrypting file transfers over the internet. The modified mechanism is referred to as FTPS. In order to maintain backwards compatibility with the original file transfer protocol, an FTPS connection could either be explicit, where the connection between the client connection and the server starts out as regular FTP and then negotiates a secure connection, or implicit where the connection starts out being encrypted. HTTPS Secure File Transfer Since a web browser is already capable of public key cryptography, simple downloads and uploads can be performed directly through a web browser using the HTTPS protocol. This means that special FTP Client software is not required. SFTP Secure File Transfer The Secure Shell protocol also known as SSH was developed by Tatu Ylonen to enable secure access to remote shells using public key cryptography and replace Telnet and other non secure shells. This protocol has since evolved to also support a file transfer mechanism known as SFTP. The main advantage of this mechanism is that it did not require the opening of an additional data channel connection for transferring files. All of these three methods of secure file transfer are based on public key cryptography and all of them are equally capable of securing the transfer of critical files across the internet. The only drawback of these methods is that there is a data overhead associated with encrypting files. There is also a performance overhead associated with encrypting the files at the source and decrypting them at the destination. Because of this, system administrators sometimes use regular FTP for file transfers within a secured internal network. However, for transferring files over the internet, this is a small price to pay in exchange for the guarantee that sensitive files reach their destination without being intercepted or tampered with.Okay, you now know about the three types of secure ftp servers. If you are looking for a secure FTP server to run on your windows system that can support all three secure file transfer mechanisms, be sure to visit <a href ="http://www.sysax.com/">http://www.sysax.com/</a> and download <a href ="http://www.sysax.com/download.htm?c=48#sysaxserv">Sysax FTP Server</a>
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Movie Management Software Helps Film Schools Stay Organized
Film schools are in the business of creating people who will become a part of the film industry in some way Whether the students at the film school become screenwriters, actors, directions, or crew members, watching movies is key to their success With movie management software, film schools will be able to stay organized, even in the midst of thousands of movies and other programs which will be a part of the curriculum When you’re trying to train the next Coppola or Scorsese, you need to make sure you’re on top of your DVDs and film reels - and this takes additional behind the scenes help with movie management software . .Keeping the Movies for Classes in Stock is Simpler . .Since classes in film school will require that students watch films and discuss them together, movie management software can come in handy to make sure these films are always on hand By checking with the film library ahead of time by browsing an online catalog, teachers can ensure that the film they need will be available when they need it With this sort of system, classes can continue as planned, helping to ensure that schedules are followed and students are taught without interruption In larger film schools with more classes, this sort of system is indispensable . .Lending Movies to Students Becomes Easier . .Of course, a film school that is able to loan films to its students is also going to benefit the students and their studies With the movie management software, the students can easily check to see what movies are available or when new movies will be available It will also help teachers to see whether students are being proactive in their learning as this system will also be accessible to them as well Seeing that a student has been borrowing a certain director’s films will also help a teacher perhaps suggest other films for them to look at as well in their independent study . .Updating the Collection Regularly is Necessary . .In order for a film school to be up to par in terms of how it informs its students about film trends, the school needs to constantly add new films By having movie management software, the school will instantly see what gaps are in the movie collection and can then create orders based on these missing DVDs or film reels Updating the movie library on a regular basis also ensure that students are able to see the latest in film techniques after movies are done showing at the theaters Not only should the latest films be added, but also the older films which are only recently being put onto DVDs to be viewed by those not alive when the films themselves were made . .With the right movie management software, a film school can keep itself on the cutting edge of movie techniques, genres, and trends In doing so, they can provide the students with as many tools as possible with which to craft their own style and their own path to success .
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How To Keep Your Computer From Spreading Viruses
There are some simple steps you must take to avoid becoming a victim of computer viruses and also stop from spreading viruses to others. Here are some things that you can and should do. Email Issues to watch Never open an E-mail with an attachment you were not expecting. The latest batch of virus programs are often spread by E-mail. Even if your anti-virus program does not warn you about the attached file and even if the eMail appears to come from someone you know, do not open it if you were not expecting it, and if you were expecting it, only open it AFTER scanning it with your up-to-date virus software. Scan ALL incoming email attachments (regardless of who sent it). Be sure to run each attachment you plan to open through the anti-virus check. Do this even if you recognize and trust the sender; malicious code, like Trojan horses, can slip into your system by appearing to be from a friendly source. Turn off the ‘automatic preview’ in your email program. Automatically previewing an email message has the exact same effect as opening and reading an email. My of the newest internet worms, trojans, and viruses simply need to have an email message read in order for them to be activated. Turning off the preview feature allows you to scan any email BEFORE you actually read it. Disk Issues to watch Don’t boot from a floppy disk. Floppies are one of the most common ways viruses are transmitted. If you are using a floppy while working on your computer, remove it when you shut the machine off or the computer will automatically try to boot from the floppy, perhaps launching any viruses on the disk. Web Based Issues Keep your web browser set to its highest security level. Its a pain to get the warning messages on every other web page you visit, but its the best way to protect yourself - especially if you use Microsoft Internet Explorer and Outlook. Don’t download programs from the Web. Unreliable sources such as Internet newsgroups or Web sites that you haven’t heard of may be willing providers of viruses for your computer. Avoid downloading files you can’t be sure are safe. This includes freeware, screensavers, games, and any other executable program - any files with an “.exe” or “.com” extension, such as “coolgame.exe.” Check to see if the site has anti-virus software running on their side. If you do have to download from the Internet, be sure to scan each program before running it. Save all downloads to one folder, then run virus checks on everything in the folder before using it. Regardless of where you download from, ALWAYS scan downloaded software. Routine Maintenance Make regular back ups of important data Make it a habit to back up all of your most important files at least once a month. Store the back up discs in a safe place. Clean any virus/worm/trojan off your computer (Details: http://www.antivirus-report.com/trojan-horse-removal.html ) Using your antivirus software, perform a full system scan of your PC, hopefully it will detect and remove the virus. If a virus was detected, restart your computer and run the full scan again. Sometime the virus will keep reappearing, due to the evolving nature of viruses. Symantec is particularly fast at providing removal tools should you ever get a virus or worm infesting your computer. What is a removal tool? Well simply put it is a simple software that will scan your computer for infections, and then remove them from your machine. You most often need this if your machine got infected BEFORE you installed antivirus software. Top Considerations for PC Protection And the final and most important two things to do to keep your computer clean and make sure it does not spread viruses to other computers… Install a Firewall If you use a broadband/high-speed method to access the internet, you need to get a firewall. A firewall is a program that defends your computer from hackers who attempt to gain direct access to your computer over the Internet. There is a very good firewall program called ZoneAlarm that will do the trick if you use Windows. Install and use a high-quality anti-virus program. This is the key to protecting your computer. Buy one of the major anti-virus programs - Norton Anti-Virus, PC-Cillin, or McAfee Anti-Virus. The primary benefit of the commercial packages is the frequency and ease of updating the virus definition files that these programs use to detect viruses. With new viruses popping up all the time, unless your protection software is kept updated, you start to become ever more vulnerable to infection. Get immediate protection. Configure your anti-virus software to launch automatically on start-up and run at all times. This will provide you back-up protection in case you forget to scan an attachment, or decide not to. And in case you forget to load up your anti-virus software, configuring it to start by itself will ensure you get immediate protection anyway. The top antivirus software programs all do this (but only if you have one installed on your computer). You do have current antivirus software installed right? If not, you can go to this page for more information on why you need antivirus software and how easy it is to use. <a href="http://www.antivirus-report.com/antivirus-software.html">Antivirus software</a> and general PC protection and maintenance are essential for safe and secure computing. Right now learn to easily block trojan horses, spyware, computer viruses, and other malicious software.
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