An Overview of the Best FTP Alternatives for Secure File Transfers

For a long time, FTP was a great way to move large files online- and lot of them – to the clients and customers you work with. But the web of today is a lot different than the web of ten years ago. Modern file upload and document sharing services are easier, faster and more secure.  

Instead of forcing colleagues and co-workers to download complicated FTP clients with bad user interfaces, it’s time for your growing business to use an FTP alternative.  

As a background, FTP historically has been used as a tool for website developers and tech professionals to move files from the desktop of a computer to somewhere online, it’s oftentimes complicated and clunky to use.  

First it requires users to download and install an FTP client — a piece of software that lives on their computer, which allows them to upload files. This can create headaches as different FTP clients have different user interfaces, so troubleshooting becomes more complex for project managers.  

Second, FTP is no longer the safest way to share files. The authors of Request for Comments (RFC) 114, a formal document of the Internet Engineering Task Force, identified several vulnerabilities of FTP, including:   

• FTP bounce attack  
• Port stealing (guessing the next open port and usurping a legitimate connection)  
• Spoofing attack  
• Username enumeration  

Ultimately, basic FTP is no longer sufficient to handle your business’ file transferring needs. It’s time to use an FTP alternative.   

Exploring FTP Alternatives for Your Business 

Many companies have evolved past traditional FTP and now opt for more modern and secure alternatives that suit their file transfer needs. Is your use of FTP putting your company at risk? Here are some of the questions you ask yourself when considering a secure alternative to FTP:  

• How many files do you currently transfer on an ongoing basis? 
• How often do you transfer files? Daily? Weekly? Biweekly? Who utilizes your system most often and do you foresee additional people on your team needing to do so?  
• Do you expect your business or client base to significantly grow in the next 6 months? 1 year? 3 years? If so, what type of file transferring and file storage will that growth require?   
• What data security factors do you need to consider when implementing a new file transferring system? For example, industry specific compliance standards, etc.  
• How large are the files you most often transfer and what types of files are you transferring? Be sure to consider data related to future projects and take into account that you may need to move massive files (and therefore, your new system will need to handle that.)   

How Onehub’s FTP Alternative Can Replace Your Current FTP  

Thankfully, Onehub makes the need for a complex FTP obsolete and it does so with powerful file sharing features:   

Easy Sharing – Onehub works in the cloud, so there is no software to download and any team member can upload and download files through a web browser.  

Granular Permissions – Grant varying levels of access to your data with precision down to the file level to make sure only the right people can view or edit files.   

Secure Sharing – Onehub uses bank-level encryption and all communication with the service is automatically done over HTTPS. Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest.  

Mobile Access – Securely share files from Android or IOS mobile devices through the Onehub app so everyone has access to the latest data.  

Additionally, Onehub offers extra file sharing protection that FTP just can’t match.  

• Upload multiple files at once by simply dragging-and-dropping them into your browser. 
• An activity tracker that shows you every event that happens in your Workspace so you know who and when someone is interacting with your information. 
• High-quality previews of more than 30 different file types. 
• Data rooms allow you to share sensitive information with multiple investors or vendors – without them knowing about each other.  

For businesses, implementing an FTP server alternative means getting rid of outdated FTP clients that require your team members and partners to download specific software programs and use a tedious system. Instead, your organization can use simple, browser-based uploading and downloading for secure file transfers.  

Get Started with Onehub Today  

To make your business file sharing straightforward and more secure, use an FTP alternative like Onehub.