Which file transfer protocol is typically unencrypted and contrasts with encrypted alternatives like FTPS?

Which file transfer protocol is typically unencrypted and contrasts with encrypted alternatives like FTPS?

• A. ftp
• B. scp
• C. ftps
• D. tftp

Answer: (A)

File transfers can be protected or unprotected in transit. FTP sends both the login credentials and the file data in cleartext, so it operates without encryption by default. That’s the contrast with encrypted alternatives like FTPS, which wraps FTP in TLS to protect the contents of the transfer. Other options use encryption in different ways: SCP relies on SSH to securely copy files, and TFTP is a very simple, often unencrypted protocol used for basic transfers like network boot, with no built-in protection. Because the question points to a protocol that is typically unencrypted while contrasting with encrypted choices like FTPS, the plain FTP protocol is the best fit.

File transfers can be protected or unprotected in transit. FTP sends both the login credentials and the file data in cleartext, so it operates without encryption by default. That’s the contrast with encrypted alternatives like FTPS, which wraps FTP in TLS to protect the contents of the transfer. Other options use encryption in different ways: SCP relies on SSH to securely copy files, and TFTP is a very simple, often unencrypted protocol used for basic transfers like network boot, with no built-in protection. Because the question points to a protocol that is typically unencrypted while contrasting with encrypted choices like FTPS, the plain FTP protocol is the best fit.