File Transfer Protocol With SSL Security (FTPS)

What Does File Transfer Protocol With SSL Security (FTPS) Mean?

File Transfer Protocol with SSL Security (FTPS) is an extension to the FTP protocol that adds Secure Socket Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS)-based mechanisms/capabilities on a standard FTP connection.

It mainly enables performing or delivering standard FTP communication on top of an SSL-based security connection.

FTPS is also known as FTP Secure.

Techopedia Explains File Transfer Protocol With SSL Security (FTPS)

FTPS is mainly used to provide secure server-to-server communication; however, it can also be used to access a server from desktop or end-user devices.

FTPS uses a combination of symmetric (Data Encryption Standard (DES)/Advance Encryption Standard (AES)) and asymmetric (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA)/Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA)) algorithms to deliver security and uses X.509 certificates for authentication.

FTPS is delivered in two different forms:

• Explicit FTPS -- Selected parts or components for communication are encrypted.
• Implicit FTPS -- All communications are encrypted.