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Michael S. Mimoso, Editorial DirectorHere's the catch: both FTP and TFTP are inherently insecure protocols. They do not use encryption and allow both authentication and file data to traverse the network in the clear. Consider using these protocols only when sharing non-sensitive data with the general public (i.e. operating a public, anonymous download FTP site) or operating in an inherently secure environment (e.g. a private management network).
Fortunately, there is a secure alternative to these protocols. The secure FTP protocol uses the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol to encrypt standard FTP communications and provide confidentiality in transit.
More information:
This was first published in January 2009