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Setup a secure FTP server on IIS FTP 7.5 with cisco ASA5505

Looking for suggestions (and brief setup tutorial) of which secure FTP setup is best.
FTP over SSL (Explicit)
FTP over SSL (Implicit)
SFTP over SSH
From what I've read it seems most people prefer SFTP rather than FTP over SSL, what are the benefits? Also what is the setup process for SFTP (if that is in fact the best method) and what ports need to be forwarded?

Jody Lemoine

The key benefit of SFTP on SSH over FTP over SSL is the use of a single port for file transfer. With any form of FTP, application layer gateways have to be configured on the firewall to snoop the data ports that are dynamically assigned by the protocol. SFTP uses SSH and thus everything travels over 22/tcp (or whatever alternate port you'd like to use) and needs only a single forwarded port.

If you want a quick and simple SFTP setup, you can test things out with FreeFTPd (http://www.freesshd.com/) and forward port 22/tcp on your ASA to whatever machine is running the FreeFTPd application.

For a client, FileZilla (http://www.filezilla-project.org) will support both FTP and SFTP nicely.

ZachTouba

ASKER

Do most FTP clients support SSH FTP? This FTP server will be connected to by people on both Mac and Windows, also several different companies are connecting to move large graphics files. I'm sure the people connecting already have an FTP program they have been using for years, are comfortable with, and also probably have many of their other clients FTP server's info saved in them.

I would prefer to use the built-in IIS FTP 7.5 service, is it possible to use it with SSH? Are there any disadvantages to using FreeFTPd rather than the IIS version?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Jody Lemoine

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