FTP vs SFTP Security Analysis

Project Overview

This project demonstrates the security differences between FTP and SFTP by capturing and analyzing network traffic using Wireshark. The goal is to highlight how FTP transmits sensitive information in plaintext, while SFTP protects data through encryption over SSH.

Project Objectives

• Capture FTP and SFTP traffic using Wireshark
• Analyze how authentication and file transfer occur over the network
• Identify security risks associated with FTP
• Demonstrate how SFTP provides confidentiality and integrity
• Reinforce best practices for secure file transfer

Tools & Technologies

• Wireshark – Network packet capture and analysis
• Linux – For setting up test environments
• SFTP / FTP protocols – Understanding secure vs insecure file transfers
• SSH – Encryption mechanism used by SFTP

Key Learnings

• FTP transmits usernames and passwords in plaintext, making them vulnerable to interception
• FTP file transfers can be exposed if the data channel is captured
• SFTP encrypts both authentication and data using an SSH tunnel
• Encrypted protocols significantly reduce the risk of credential theft and data leakage
• Secure protocols like SFTP are preferred in real-world environments

Methodology

1. Configure FTP and SFTP services on a Linux system
2. Start packet capture in Wireshark
3. Perform file transfers using FTP and SFTP clients
4. Analyze captured packets:
   • FTP control traffic reveals plaintext credentials
   • SFTP traffic appears encrypted and unreadable
5. Capture screenshots and document observations

📝 Summary of Findings

Feature/Aspect	FTP	SFTP
Encryption	None (plaintext)	SSH encryption
Credentials Security	Exposed	Encrypted
Data Transfer Security	Vulnerable to interception	Protected
Authentication Method	Username/Password (plain)	Username/Password over SSH
Real-world Recommendation	Avoid for sensitive data	Recommended for secure transfers

FTP vs SFTP Traffic Comparison

Figure 1: FTP traffic reveals readable commands and credentials, while SFTP traffic is fully encrypted.

Conclusion

This project demonstrates why FTP is insecure by design and why SFTP is the preferred alternative for secure file transfer. Using encrypted protocols is critical for protecting sensitive data in modern networks.