Is Ssh Better Than Ftp?

Secured shell, or SSH, is a network protocol that permits data to be exchanged via a secure channel between two networked devices. SSH offers an encryption feature that allows for more secure transfer of data over a network such as the Internet, where security is an issue. It was developed as a replacement for TELNET which would send information like passwords in plaintext, which often made them vulnerable to hackers who wanted to gain access to secure information. There is a debate amongst the IT community if SSH is better than File Transfer Protocol for the transfer of data. While the opinions are objective, one can send files through SSH that are more encrypted and less vulnerable than some files on a FTP site.

SSH is not a file transferring protocol per se. It is a way to issue commands to another computer in a secure way. SSH is often preferred because it offers advanced encryption and can be used for transferring files in a secure way. SSH connections can also be compressed in ways an FTP connection cannot.

File transfer protocol is designed specifically for the transfer of files or data over a network such as the Internet. While there are some security issues and the data is not as encrypted as an SSH connection, FTP can often serve the purposes of an organization that is dealing with a lot of collaborative work that needs to be easily accessed by a user name and password. SSH requires some command line acumen, and many end users who are not web masters or programmers will not have the skills or the patience to execute file transfers in this fashion.

There are some concerns about the security of FTP systems. Passwords and data are sent in clear text which can easily intercepted by hackers or spyware. There are solutions that can enhance the security of FTP systems by adding on SSL, TLS or Kerberos. If these enhancements are not enough, then SSH may be the alternative for the secure transfer of files.

Many web hosting companies that provide file transferring services for their clients offer the choice between FTP and SSH for file transfer. Again, this comes down to the personal preference of the webmaster and the needs of the organization. A business that has been operating with an FTP site for years may not see the necessity of migrating to another platform to share files and may not want to incur the costs associated with such a migration. Other businesses that are sensitive to the integrity of their data, particularly e-commerce data, may want to invest in SSH so they have the most secure encrypted transmission of files. It really comes down to a choice over how much security is required and if there is a will on the behalf of the organization to make a major change like this.