Re: FTP-client for Windows, safety concerns

[Scrap Happy <Scrap%GMX.com@localhost>]

Hi Herb,

On 6/14/2012 3:37 PM, herbert langhans wrote:

> I often share files via FTP with my students, friends, family members
> and people who I know personally. Then I create an user account, link or
> copy the files in their /home directory so they can download them.
> Nothing unusual ...
>
> Sometimes people ask me, where to get 'such a program' (the FTP-client)
> from - I tell them to pick some freeware/shareware client from anywhere
> and install it on their Windows or Apple computer.
>
> The thing I am concerned of is, that these freeware clients could be
> easily prepared to steal the password of MY server. And between user
> account and root access its not that a big step.

So, you are assuming that the freeware clients were surreptitiously
designed to try to attack any sites that their user's made them
aware of -- and report the results of these attacks (or simply
the mere existence of the sites!) to some other agency?

> Long story, simple question: what relieable(!) FTP-client for Windows
> and Apples should I recommend to my FTP-users? Some full functional
> (think about gftp) gui-programm would be the best. Maybe even something
> easy to install, so I can send them the exe file via e-mail ...
>
> All ideas welcome. Thank you!
> herb langhans
> (sorry for double posting - was meant for netbsd-users, not
> pkgsrc-users)

What's wrong with just specifying an ftp:// URL in any of
the common browsers?  Or, does your distrust apply equally
to MS's IE, Mozilla's Firefox, etc.?

Sorry, have I missed some other issue, here?  :<