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FTP over SSH enables the secure transmission of files across the web. It works by first establishing an SSH tunnel between the client and the server. Once an SSH tunnel has been established, it is used by the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) to send data back and forth. In this scenario, the FTP handles the transfer of information while the SSH tunnel ensures that the data is transmitted in a secure fashion.

Nowadays, FTP over SSH is not seeing widespread use as it is difficult to set up. Fortunately, other protocols have emerged such as SFTP and FTPS. These alternatives offer a more integrated and convenient way of transferring data while ensuring a high degree of protection.

To learn more about FTP over SSH, how it compares to the alternatives, and whether you should be using it or not, continue reading or jump to the section that interests you.

How Does FTP Over SSH Protect My Data?

FTP over SSH ensures the integrity and protection of the transferred data using an encrypted SSH tunnel. The tunnel is set up between the FTP client and the FTP server. Once the SSH tunnel is created, any data that flows through it will be protected from the outside world thanks to encryption.

The data transmitted using FTP over SSH is protected thanks to the encrypted tunnel created through SSH.
The data transmitted using FTP over SSH is protected thanks to the encrypted tunnel created through SSH.

That said, the setup is actually more complex than it sounds. The issue arises from the fact that the interaction between the FTP client and the FTP server takes p