FTP

From RemObjects Software

This is a Technical Glossary entry
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The file transfer protocol is one of the earliest protocols based on TCP/IP. It's still used to upload and download files.

FTP uses two connections, one for the commands and one for the actual files and directory listings. The default mode, ACTIVE mode, is to let the client listen for a secondary connection, which is a problem for most clients behind a firewall. In PASSIVE mode, the server listens for both connections, allowing it to work with clients behind a firewall.

Another problem with FTP is that username and passwords are send over the socket in plain text, allowing other users to possibly intercept the password.