I came across this fantastic article written by Ray Zadjmool on how to secure your file transfer server. Following these tips will help ensure a secure file transfer solution.
TIP # 1: Disable Anonymous Access.
TIP # 2: Enable Logging.
TIP # 3: Harden your ACLS.
TIP # 4: Setup your FTP site as Blind Put.
TIP # 5: Enable Disk Quotas.
TIP # 6: Use Logon Time Restrictions.
TIP # 7: Restrict Access by IP.
TIP # 8: Audit Logon Events.
TIP #9: Enable Strong Password Requirement.
TIP # 10: Enable Account Lockout and Account Lockout Threshold.
It has been a few years since the article was updated, but the advice is still rock solid. However, there is one big tip that I believe is missing:
MY TIP #1A: Use encrypted protocols such as SSH / SFTP or SSL / FTPS.
FTPplanet.com has tons or blog entries about the security measures you can take for transferring files, both for end user clients as well as for servers…. and we will continue to do so as this an increasingly important topic for anyone who moves files over the Interent.