File Transfer Protocol With SSL Security

What Does File Transfer Protocol With SSL Security 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.

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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 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.
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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…