Exposure Risks with File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
Communication protocols govern data transmission between computer networks. These protocols, such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), determine how data is transferred between devices through a port, which is a unique connection endpoint for a specific service. Because file transfer moves files over the internet, insecure file transfer ports create opportunities for hackers to send their own malicious payload or for other threat actors to intercept traffic.