Chapter 11. Securing File Services

File transfers are among the most important Internet transactions. All Internet applications support file transfer in one form or another. In email, MIME attachments can take virtually any form, including executables and archives. HTTP supports file transfers with aplomb: "loading a web page" actually entails the downloading and displaying of a multitude of text, graphic, and even executable code files by your browser. Even Internet Relay Chat can be used to transfer files between chatters.

When all is said and done, however, email, HTTP, and IRC are all designed to handle relatively small chunks of data. This chapter covers tools and protocols specifically designed for transferring large files and large quantities of files.