FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Activity to the Internet
This rule detects events that may indicate the use of FTP network connections to the Internet. The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) has been around in its current form since the 1980s. It can be a common and efficient…
Description
This rule detects events that may indicate the use of FTP network connections to the Internet. The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) has been around in its current form since the 1980s. It can be a common and efficient procedure on your network to send and receive files. Because of this, adversaries will also often use this protocol to exfiltrate data from your network or download new tools. Additionally, FTP is a plain-text protocol which, if intercepted, may expose usernames and passwords. FTP activity involving servers subject to regulations or compliance standards may be unauthorized.
Detection logic
Its licence does not clear it for publishing here
Sunturai publishes a detection's own text where the licence it arrived under has been reviewed and permits it, and Elastic License 2.0 has not. The query as its source wrote it, its canonical form and the hash that pins this revision are in the workspace record.
Detection requirements
- Platform
- ESXiIaaSLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesOffice SuiteSaaSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- event_index
Known benign triggers
- FTP servers should be excluded from this rule as this is expected behavior. Some business workflows may use FTP for data exchange. These workflows often have expected characteristics such as users, sources, and destinations. FTP activity involving an unusual source or destination may be more suspicious. FTP activity involving a production server that has no known associated FTP workflow or business requirement is often suspicious.
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
No references are available for this detection.
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 87ec6396-9ac4-4706-bcf0-2ebb22002f43
- Tagged by the source as
- Command and ControlElasticHostNetworkThreat Detection
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Aug 27, 2026
- Version
- 1