Which file transfer protocol uses SSH for secure data transfer and is commonly abbreviated as SFTP?

• A. Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
• B. Secure Copy (SCP)
• C. FTP over SSH
• D. HTTP over TLS

Answer: (A)

Secure file transfer over SSH is about moving files with encryption and authentication by using the SSH channel as the transport. The option that fits this description and is commonly abbreviated as SFTP is Secure File Transfer Protocol. It operates as a subsystem of SSH, providing secure access, transfer, and management of files within a single encrypted session. This combination of encryption, authentication, and file management capabilities is what makes SFTP the standard choice for secure file transfers.

SCP also uses SSH for secure transfer, but its scope is simply copying files between hosts and it isn’t referred to as SFTP. FTP over SSH isn’t a standard protocol in the same sense; it would involve tunneling or using FTP in a nonstandard way, rather than the dedicated SSH-based file transfer protocol. HTTP over TLS serves web traffic, not file transfer through SSH.