By security I mean the information going across, needs to be encrypted or not. FTP protocol will send info in clear txt. So if not sensitive data, I recommend you do FTP. A lot easier to do and setup, all in manual.
Personally, this is one of the best NAS I ever had. It does the basics from the get-go, however, for more advance usage, yes, knowledge/research/test and willing to learn is required. USB HDs are easier to deal with, but lot less options and or need to setup a dedicated server with the HD attached if you want to share accross the internet.
I do share folder with family and friends. I do it via SCP/SFTP.
There are other options, nothing as simple as FTP. See these links:
