When you use FTP at work, how much information is recorded about your transfers?

Question

I uploaded something by mistake to the public server but I took it down right away. Will the fact that I uploaded it be recorded anywhere? Thousands of files are uploaded and viewed every day - but I am not an admin on the server side... I just have an FTP account. What is the most common setup?

Answer 1

An FTP server records ALL INSTRUCTIONS, COMMANDS AND TRANSACTIONS YOU DO. In shorter term, EVERYTHING!

It records what folder you open, if you download a file, delete a file, upload a file and as simple as if you click on a file to view some of its properties.... All includes the date and time down to the second PLUS your computer's IP address. Kinda wicked huh? But that's how it goes.

If the server handles hundreds of files and connections everyday, well, it will not noticed.... Unless they intentionally open records of your access......

By default and as it should be, recording everything is a security feature of an FTP server.... The admin must have all of those records so that in case any untoward incident happens to the server because of any uploaded file, he can know if who's the culprit....

BTW, I'm an FTP administrator for our organization.... And the WebServer admin too, that's why I know those stuff....

Answer 2

Your upload and delete records can be view by the system/server administrator. The contents of the files will not be viewable.

Answer 3

On my system, which is a Dept. of Defense machine, I'll know who transferred a file, the name of the file, and the site being visited. I don't attempt to analyze the file's contents. I will know if there was an error during the transfer such that it aborted. I'll also know if there was a permissions violation. On the other hand, my system, because it is DoD, is more than a bit overboard on security tracking anyway.