SFTP vs SCP vs FTPS Explained: Secure File Transfer for Network+
Secure file transfer is a reliable source of exam questions because the names are so similar and the ports are so specific. The one that catches people is that SFTP and FTPS are completely different protocols despite the near-identical names. The protocols and their ports Protocol Port Based on Encrypted FTP TCP 20 (data), 21 (control) — No SFTP TCP 22 SSH Yes SCP TCP 22 SSH Yes FTPS TCP 989/990, or 21 with AUTH TLS FTP + TLS Yes TFTP UDP 69 — No Memorise that SFTP and SCP both use port 22 , because both are carried over SSH. That single fact resolves a lot of questions: if a firewall permits SSH, it permits both. SFTP versus FTPS The distinction the exam most wants. SFTP — SSH File Transfer Protocol. Not FTP at all. It is a distinct protocol running inside an SSH session, using a single connection on port 22. FTPS — FTP Secure. This is FTP, with TLS wrapped around it. It keeps FTP's two-connection design, one for control and one for data. The practical consequen...