The benefits of a file transfer DMZ

Like any other network security concept, file transfer security operates in layers. And many organizations choose to add an additional security layer to protect file transfers through the concept of a “De-Militarized Zone”, or DMZ. This article will explain the file transfer DMZ concept, discuss the pros and cons and provide implementation guidelines. 

What is a network DMZ?

Taken from the geopolitical concept of an area where countries agree to a defined “safe” area free from hostilities, a network DMZ creates a location between an organization’s internal network and the external web that can house servers with the highest risk of attack. These servers will typically include those that handle initial traffic from an external network, such as DNS, web and mail servers, as well as proxy servers that protect clients and hosts from identification.   

In the event of an attack, the internal network’s connection with the DMZ servers can be severed to ensure that the organization as a whole is protected before a significant intrusion occurs. 

How are DMZs used in file transfer?

The machines you place in your DMZ and the way you route traffic through it can help perform a number of actions that improve your file transfers:

  • Perform initial security reviews for inbound traffic to ensure client requests are legitimate
  • Conduct the final security check on outbound traffic to ensure no sensitive data leaves the organization
  • Screen internal IP and server information from the external web to reduce potential threat surfaces
  • Perform processing tasks to speed transfers and optimize resources

What benefits does a file transfer DMZ provide?

Creating a file transfer DMZ can provide your organization with the following benefits:

  • Reduced attack surface: Placing a reverse proxy server in your DMZ prevents external clients from seeing the IP addresses of your file transfer server, which can reduce the threat of direct attacks. 
  • Decreased risk of data breaches: You can run several operations and tools from machines in your DMZ that can reduce the risk of a data breach, including:
    • Data Loss Prevention tools, such as ICAP or other security policies, that screen for sensitive data leaving the organization 
    • Additional authentication layers to reduce the risk of client credential compromise
    • Logging and alerts to flag unusual traffic or clients before the transfer is allowed to continue
  • Uptime and reliability: Attacks will hit your DMZ first, and if properly mitigated, will have no impact on your actual file transfer server. 
  • Improved speed: You can configure machines in your DMZ to handle compute-intensive operations like encryption and compression in order to speed transfers from your internal network. 

How is a file transfer DMZ typically implemented?

Any number of file transfer DMZ configurations are possible. 

We recommend keeping your file transfer server behind your internal network’s firewall to reduce your potential attack surface and setting up a file transfer gateway in your DMZ to forward traffic to your file transfer server. This gateway could be a reverse proxy server, or another dedicated machine that screens and routes requests after performing an initial security scan.  

For an extra layer of security, you could also place a “perimeter” firewall in front of your file transfer gateway, which would give you three layers of protection from inbound attacks. 

We hope that you’ve found this article on The benefits of a file transfer DMZ valuable. If you’re interested in setting up your own DMZ with Cerberus FTP Server by Redwood, please contact our support team for help.