Who's Got the Keys to Your Online Castle?
Recently, we were hired on to redesign the website for a client, however they didn't have the FTP information for their website.
As a 3rd party, it is a bit difficult to obtain this information from an ISP if you don't have certain bits of information to identify yourself. Here are some steps that we had to go through to finally gain access:
1. Have the ISP send the login information to the email on record with the account. In this case, the person was no longer with the firm and their email was no longer active. However since email is something that we have control over, we will recreate that email address again so we can receive the account login instructions.
2. If the email on record is for someone with an email in a domain not in your control, then you have other steps. The ISP will probably ask you for the last 4-digits of the credit card used for payments as well as the name on the card. Our luck, this client didn't have this either.
3. Lastly, the ISP will require you to send them a fax with your information and requested changes on your company letterhead. Unless they verify the incoming fax number, this obviously can be pretty easily faked, IMHO.
If you don't have the login information for your website hosting service, you really should make sure you have it in your possession. If your web guy/gal is reluctant to give it to you now, it won't be any easier/better down the road when you really need it.
