SFTP server in less than 5 min

FTP servers have long been in use for data transfer, but from the very beginning they have one major drawback – security. Authentication is sent in pure text form, which is easy to intercept. Due to their ease of use, they are still popular. Today, they are recommended for use only within small companies and even that withdraws against modern ways of file sharing e.g. one drive, google drive, dropboxâ€¦

SFTP

SFTP means secure file transfer protocol and it’s a more secure variant of ftp transfer or. ssh file transfer protocol. The application is encrypted and at the same time creates a “fingerprint” during the transfer, which is not repeatable and thus increases security. Basically, SFTP is securely replacing FTP servers; it has all the functionality and ease of an ftp server while being secure.

SFTP vs. FTP

SFTP is not the same as FTPS. FTPS means FTP using a TLS / SSL channel. This encrypts the password and transfer. It usually runs over port 21. SFTP has no connection to regular FTP, the password and transfer is encrypted, but it usually runs over port 22. It runs over an ssh session, which allows a secure channel between the local and remote computer.

Free SFTP servers software

There are also many free sftp servers available, but for a quick setup with minimalist requirements, I liked the Rebex Tiny SFTP Server the most.

Rebex Tiny SFTP Server

A minimalist sftp server is available for quick deployment for just one client and for occasional data exchange. No installation required, just expand the zip file and click on the exe file. The minimalist configuration is its advantage. The SFTP server is set up really in 5 minutes.

Runs on all windows OS with .NET 4.0, supports RSA and DSA keys, logs activities on the server in detail.