Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
Security+ 🏆 • Protocols 🔗 • Network Security 🌐 • Cryptography 🔒
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Difficulty: premium
Definition
SFTP is a secure file transfer protocol that runs over SSH to encrypt authentication and data transfers. It provides file upload, download, and management capabilities while protecting credentials and content in transit.
Examples
- A company replaces plain FTP scripts with SFTP so automated transfers are encrypted and credentials are not exposed on the network.
- A vendor receives a dedicated SFTP account with access only to an upload folder, limiting what they can view or modify.
Discover 🔎
Moving files between systems is a common business need, but doing it insecurely can leak credentials and sensitive data. SFTP is a modern answer to a classic problem: transfer files while keeping the connection private and tamper-resistant. It is widely used because it is encrypted by default, firewall-friendly compared to FTP, and supports strong authentication with SSH keys.
Remember: SFTP is not the same as FTP. SFTP runs over SSH and uses one encrypted connection. It does not use the separate control and data channels that FTP uses.
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