> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/analytics-alerts/alerts-by-name/large-upload-ftp.md).
# Large Upload (FTP)
### Synopsis
| Field | Value |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Activation Period | 14 Days |
| Training Period | 30 Days |
| Test Period | 1 Day |
| Deduplication Period | 1 Day |
| Required Data | Requires one of the following data sources:
Palo Alto Networks Firewall traffic Logs OR XDR Agent
|
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Exfiltration (TA0010) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol (T1048) |
| Severity | Low |
### Description
The endpoint transferred an excessively large amounts of data to a single destination over FTP. Cortex XDR Analytics assumes endpoint traffic towards a specific destination should be about the same over long periods of time. For that reason, Cortex XDR detected this abnormal behavior of a large data upload. An attacker may be exfiltrating data directly to the internet using this protocol.
### Attacker's Goals
Exfiltrate stolen data from the victim network to an attacker's controllable resource.
### Investigative actions
* Verify that the source is not an FTP server. If Cortex XDR Analytics has failed to identify the entity as a valid FTP server, this alert is likely to be a false positive.
* Identify the entity performing the data transfer to determine if the transfer is sanctioned.
* Use Pathfinder to interrogate the endpoint for suspicious artifacts that are using endpoint processes or loaded modules.
### Variations
Large Upload (FTP)
**Synopsis**
| Field | Value |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Exfiltration (TA0010) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol (T1048) |
| Severity | Informational |
**Description**
The endpoint transferred an excessively large amounts of data to a single destination over FTP. Cortex XDR Analytics assumes endpoint traffic towards a specific destination should be about the same over long periods of time. For that reason, Cortex XDR detected this abnormal behavior of a large data upload. An attacker may be exfiltrating data directly to the internet using this protocol.
**Attacker's Goals**
Exfiltrate stolen data from the victim network to an attacker's controllable resource.
**Investigative actions**
* Verify that the source is not an FTP server. If Cortex XDR Analytics has failed to identify the entity as a valid FTP server, this alert is likely to be a false positive.
* Identify the entity performing the data transfer to determine if the transfer is sanctioned.
* Use Pathfinder to interrogate the endpoint for suspicious artifacts that are using endpoint processes or loaded modules.
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