Anonymous FTP
Anonymous FTP is a way of accessing an FTP server that lets anyone download public files without a personal account
What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.
What it is and how it works
The server accepts a generic username, usually “anonymous”, and sometimes asks for an email address as a token password. It was widely used to distribute software, documentation and mirrors of open-source projects, and access is normally restricted to downloads.
Allowing anonymous uploads as well exposes the server to abuse of storage, bandwidth and content, so it is only enabled in tightly controlled cases. Today its use is marginal: most public downloads are served over HTTPS.
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