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File Transfer TLS/SSL Guides

Secure file transfer with FTPS (FTP over TLS). These guides cover both implicit and explicit TLS modes, certificate setup, and cipher suite hardening for FTP servers.

About These Guides

Plain FTP transmits credentials and file content in cleartext. FTPS (FTP Secure) wraps FTP in TLS, either using explicit mode (STARTTLS on port 21) or implicit mode (TLS-only on port 990). Implicit FTPS is strongly preferred as it cannot be downgraded.

Where possible, consider replacing FTP entirely with SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) via OpenSSH, which provides stronger authentication options and avoids FTP's passive mode firewall complexity.

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