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Difference Between FTP and SFTP

FTP transfers files in plain text without encryption, making passwords and data vulnerable to interception. SFTP provides a secure channel for file transfers by operating within an encrypted SSH connection, protecting passwords and encrypting data. The key difference between FTP and SFTP is that SFTP encrypts data for secure transfer, while FTP transfers data and passwords unencrypted.

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82 views4 pages

Difference Between FTP and SFTP

FTP transfers files in plain text without encryption, making passwords and data vulnerable to interception. SFTP provides a secure channel for file transfers by operating within an encrypted SSH connection, protecting passwords and encrypting data. The key difference between FTP and SFTP is that SFTP encrypts data for secure transfer, while FTP transfers data and passwords unencrypted.

Uploaded by

Kabanda Yves
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Difference Between FTP and SFTP

Networking environment’s most common


task is to transfer the files/data/information between the hosts on the
network. FTP and SFTP are the file transferring protocols. Transferring the
files over the network in the plain text format can raise the security concern.
The FTP protocol was introduced when security over the internet was not a big
issue. The data was sent unencrypted in FTP which can be easily intercepted by
the attacker. Hence, some secure channel was required to transfer the files. For
this one can either add a Secure Socket Layer between FTP application layer
and TCP or one can simply use an independent protocol called SFTP.
FTP and SFTP both transfers the file from one computer to another but the basic
difference between FTP and SFTP is that FTP does not provide a secure channel
to transfer files whereas, the SFTP does. Let us discuss some more differences
between FTP and SFTP with the help of comparison chart shown below.

Content: FTP Vs SFTP

1. Comparison Chart
2. Definition
3. Key Differences
4. Conclusion

Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR
FTP SFTP
COMPARISON

Basic FTP do not provide a SFTP provides a secure channel

secure channel to for transferring the files between

transfer files between the hosts.

hosts.

Full Form File Transfer Protocol. Secure File Transfer Protocol.


BASIS FOR
FTP SFTP
COMPARISON

Protocol FTP is a TCP/IP protocol. SFTP protocol is a part of SSH

protocol (a remote login

application program).

Connection FTP establishes control SFTP transfers the file under the

connection on TCP port connection established by SSH

21. protocol between client and

server.

Encryption FTP password and data SFTP encrypts the data before

is sent in a plain text sending.

format.

Definition of FTP

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a protocol in TCP/IP which copies a file from
one host to another host. Though, it seems very simple to transfer the file from
one host to another. But there are some problems like the two systems that
sends and receives file may have a different way to represent the data; they
may have different file name conventions, may have different directory
structures.

FTP provides a simple solution to all the problems above. FTP being different
from other client-server application establishes two connections between the
communicating hosts. One connection is for data transfer, and other is for
the control information (command and responses). FTP is more efficient than
other client-server applications as it has a separate connection for data and
commands.

The control connection is simple as it is just for establishing a connection


between the hosts. But data connection is complex as it has to transfer
the variety of data. The FTP establishes control connection on TCP’s port
number 21 and data connection on TCP’s port number 20.

Whenever a user starts FTP session, it first establishes a connection with the
host to whom the file has to be transferred using control connection then it
establishes the data connection for transferring the file.The data connection
gets opened and closed after transferring each file. However, the control
connection remains connected for the entire FTP session.

Definition of SFTP

SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) is a secure way to transfer the files over
the network. Though we have FTP protocol for transferring the files from one
host to another on the network but, the time FTP was designed security was not
a major issue.

FTP protocol requires the password for establishing the connection with the host
to whom file has to be sent, but the password is in the plaintext which has a
threat of being intercepted by an attacker. The attacker can then misuse the
password. The data is also sent in the plain text over data connection which is
again insecure.

So, SFTP introduced a secure channel to transfer the files over the network.
SFTP is a part of SSH (Secure Shell) protocol which is actually a program in
Unix. The SSH protocol establishes a secure connection between client and
server, and then the SFTP program works similar to FTP and transfers the file in
the secure channel created by SSH. In this way, the file can be transferred
securely using SFTP.

Key Differences Between FTP and SFTP

1. FTP do not provide any secure channel to transfer the files between the


hosts whereas, the SFTP protocol provides a secure channel for
transferring the files between the hosts on the network.
2. FTP is an abbreviation of File Transfer Protocol whereas, SFTP is an
abbreviation of Secure File Transfer Protocol.
3. FTP protocol is a service provided by TCP/IP. However, SFTP is a part of
the SSH protocol which is a remote login information.
4. FTP makes a connection using control connection on TCP port 21. On the
other hands, SFTP transfer the file under the secure connection established
by SSH protocol between client and server.
5. FTP transfer the password and data in the plain text format whereas,
SFTP encrypts the data before sending it to the another host.
Conclusion:

Both FTP and SFTP are the file transferring protocol, but SFTP provides a secure
way to transfer the file from one host to another host on the network.

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