Which FTP protocol is considered the most secure?

Which FTP protocol is considered the most secure?

• A. FTP
• B. FTPS
• C. SFTP
• D. HTTP

Answer: (C)

The most secure FTP protocol among the options is SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol). SFTP operates over the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol, providing a secure channel for transferring files and managing file systems. It encrypts both the commands and the data being transferred, ensuring that sensitive information is protected during transit, which significantly enhances security against eavesdropping, tampering, and other forms of data interception. FTPS, while also secure as it adds a layer of TLS/SSL encryption to the standard FTP protocol, is less universally supported and can be more complex to configure. It establishes a secure connection but may still expose certain data during the initial handshake or require the opening of multiple ports, which can introduce vulnerability points. The standard FTP protocol does not provide any encryption or security mechanisms, making it the least secure choice. HTTP, while used primarily for web communication, is also not secure on its own, as it lacks encryption, thereby exposing data to potential interception. In summary, SFTP stands out as the most secure option due to its inherent use of encryption and secure authentication mechanisms provided by the SSH protocol, making it ideal for securely transferring files over untrusted networks.

The most secure FTP protocol among the options is SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol). SFTP operates over the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol, providing a secure channel for transferring files and managing file systems. It encrypts both the commands and the data being transferred, ensuring that sensitive information is protected during transit, which significantly enhances security against eavesdropping, tampering, and other forms of data interception.

FTPS, while also secure as it adds a layer of TLS/SSL encryption to the standard FTP protocol, is less universally supported and can be more complex to configure. It establishes a secure connection but may still expose certain data during the initial handshake or require the opening of multiple ports, which can introduce vulnerability points.

The standard FTP protocol does not provide any encryption or security mechanisms, making it the least secure choice. HTTP, while used primarily for web communication, is also not secure on its own, as it lacks encryption, thereby exposing data to potential interception.

In summary, SFTP stands out as the most secure option due to its inherent use of encryption and secure authentication mechanisms provided by the SSH protocol, making it ideal for securely transferring files over untrusted networks.