File Transfer Protocol Secure vs FTPES – How do they compare

FTPS and FTPES are two popular versions of FTP commonly referred to as FTP (implicit) and FTP (explicit). How do the two compare?

FTPS – This is a version of FTP that works by running the original FTP program over the SSH security protocol. It was designed to compensate for the security gap presented by FTP which made it open and vulnerable to hacking. It makes use of port 990 for its commands and port 20 for the data connection.

FTPES – This version of FTP works by running the original FTP over a secure TLS or SSL network in an attempt to offer additional security to the data being transferred. It uses the same port allocations as plain FTP which are port 20 and 21.

Why would they be compared?

FTPS and FTPES are often compared because not only are they based on the same parent programme, but they seek to solve the same issue with the programme, which is security. The only difference between the two is their functionality as it pertains to their choice of security protocol; SSH Vs SSL.

Conclusion

Although FTPS and FTPES are said to be different programmes, they operate very similarly to FTP, which makes a comparison between them impossible.

FAQs

Is FTP over SSH the same as SFTP?

No, it is not. FTP over SSH, referred to as FTPS, is obtained by running the original FTP protocol over SSH, while SFTP is an independent file transfer protocol that is built on the Secure Shell protocol. It should be noted that there is no direct link between SFTP and FTP.