What are the FTPS and SFTP protocols?

Many users of a personal computer do notthey suspect that there are many protocols that ensure their safe location on the Internet. Only advanced users know what ports and certificates are and how to use them effectively. The article will cover what is the FTPS protocol, its differences and general features with SFTP.

Introduction

The modern world is completely wrapped in cobwebsThe Internet. It represents a new world, which can connect all at once, present communication with relatives, simplify life to a minimum. But do not forget that there are people who use even the most good invention to the detriment of others. They are called hackers. They understood how the Internet works, and realized the possible ways to manage it. By means of harmless transfer of a file from the server to the client hackers are capable to grasp accounts of the whole corporation.

Of course, do not forget that there are people,Trying to protect ordinary surfing on the Internet, as well as corporate data communications. Before the FTPS protocol, which will soon be discussed, there was a usual FTP data transfer protocol, which is responsible for transferring information from the server to the client. For example, when you download a file, the computer uses the FTP protocol, which allows downloading. Its very significant disadvantage was that it lacked data encryption, and completely, so it was not difficult to intercept the data transfer.

How the FTPS works

With the advent of FTPS (File Transfer Protocol + SSL)Internet connection between the server and the client has become much safer. If hacker attacks intercepted some fragments of code, a file or entire files, then they could not extract any of these data. It's very simple, but brilliant: before the file is sent to the client on the computer, it is encrypted with SSL. If you open a similar file that is encrypted, then, in addition to illegible characters, you will not see anything there. To understand the principle of work, let's consider how the server and the client using the FTPS protocol interact:

• A client (for example, a computer) sends a request to encrypt the data it needs, after which some operations are performed and a CSR request is sent to the server.
• As soon as the request was delivered to the server,It determines how the file will be encrypted, namely its algorithm. After that, the client is sent an SSL certificate with a special key to perform the next step.
• Using the key received from the server, the clienthas the ability to read the information that the certificate contains (it contains instructions), after which a check is made to match the keys.
• When the keys do not match or the files are corrupted, the procedure is canceled and the server receives an error code. In the case of successful reconciliation of the keys, an operation of transferring the encrypted data occurs.

It is possible to decipher the obtained data, only using this key, there is no other way. This option guarantees maximum data security, unlike usual FTP.

FTPS or SFTP?

To begin with it is required to understand, what itselfis SFTP? SSH File Transfer Protocol is a specific network protocol used solely to move the requested files over one of the possible protected data streams. It is most often used in systems where it has the following name - FTPS Windows 2008 R2 SSL. Its main essence is to interact with other network protocols, as well as securely transfer files between the server and the client.

Advantages of SFTP:

• only one connection is possible;
• the connection will always be established;
• the catalogs are well-developed, so they can be readable for machines (computers);
• high functionality.

Advantages of FTPS:

• It is very popular when creating servers;
• The message can not be read by a person because of the special type of encryption;
• automatically supports in many circuits the communications using the Internet connection.

Also, in some cases, you can combine dataways, and get FTPS SFTP. As a result, a system is created, the security of which is very high, but the connection speed may drop slightly.

Conclusion

We hope that thanks to this article you couldchoose one data transfer protocol from two for your server. It is worth noting that both methods are very effective, each has its own advantages, which must be considered.