What is SCP?

Secure Copy protocol (SCP) is a file transfer protocol which enables the secure transfer of files between remote hosts and local host. It’s a method of transferring files via a secure and encrypted connection. This approach ensures security and integrity of the files transferred. It’s widely used by system administrators, who need to securely copy files between their production and test environments, or between different remote locations.

How Does SCP Work?

SCP uses Secure Shell (SSH) for data transfer, allowing for an encrypted and authenticated session. It essentially acts as a ‘secure file transfer service’, allowing users to securely transfer data over a network without requiring manual authentication.

With SCP, files are transferred from host to client using user authentication, port forwarding, data compression, and TCP/IP redirection. Encryption and authentication are handled by the SSH protocol, which protects data from manipulation or eavesdropping.

SCP Advantages

SCP is a secure file transfer protocol and provides several advantages over other alternatives, such as ftp. These include:

• It’s secure: All transfers are encrypted and authenticated, ensuring security and integrity of data.

• It’s fast: The SSH protocol used by SCP also allows for faster transfers compared to ftp.

• It’s reliable: The protocol ensures reliable data transfers as it only transfers data if it is present in both the source and destination locations.

• It’s automatic: The protocol automatically authenticates connections and generates a secure connection, eliminating the need for manual authentication.

• It’s scriptable: SCP also allows for scripting of data transfers, allowing for automated transfers between hosts.

• It’s free: SCP is free and open source, and is included with most UNIX and Linux OS.

Conclusion

Secure Copy protocol (SCP) is a file transfer protocol which provides a secure and encrypted way to transfer files between remote hosts and local host. It provides secure data transfers and is a preferred tool over other alternatives like Ftp. It’s a reliable, fast and robust protocol and is widely used by system administrators.