What is the Port for FTPS? A Quick Guide to Secure File Transfers

Published {$created} by Viggo

FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, is a standard method for transferring files over a network. While widely used, standard FTP lacks encryption, making it less secure for transferring sensitive data. This is where FTPS comes in.

FTPS (FTP over SSL/TLS) is a secure version of FTP that uses the explicit port 990 for command connections (control channel) and port 989 for data connections (data channel). This is the standard port combination for FTPS.

Understanding FTPS and the Port 990

When you use FTPS, the client (like FileZilla, FTP command line, or your application) connects to the FTPS server on port 990. This connection is encrypted using SSL/TLS protocol, providing confidentiality and data integrity.

It's crucial to note that explicit FTPS is the recommended and most secure way to use FTPS. In explicit FTPS, the client specifically requests SSL/TLS during the connection phase (typically via the AUTH TLS command). This is different from implicit FTPS, which assumes the connection starts in encrypted mode, but explicit is more common and secure.

FTPS vs SFTP vs FTP

• Standard FTP: Port 21 (control), 20 (data). Insecure (data transferred in plain text).
• FTPS (Explicit): Port 990 (control), 989 (data). Secure (explicitly negotiated encryption).
• SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol): Port 22 (same port as SSH). Secure (encrypts the entire session, including authentication). Often considered even more secure than explicit FTPS.

Best Practices for Using FTPS

1. Use the Correct Ports: Remember to connect to port 990 for the control channel and port 989 for the data channel when configuring clients.
2. Choose Explicit FTPS: Always prefer explicit FTPS over implicit if available, as it provides clearer security confirmation.
3. Strong Passwords: Use strong, unique passwords even with FTPS.
4. Key Management (if using SSH-RSA/ECDSA/ED25519): For maximum security, consider using SSH-RSA, ECDSA-SHA2-NISTP256, or SSH-ED25519 keys with SFTP (port 22), as ftpGrid supports. SFTP often provides stronger security and better performance.

ftpGrid: Secure FTPS and More

At ftpGrid, we prioritize security. Our platform supports explicit FTPS on the standard ports (990/989) and also offers SFTP (port 22) for highly secure file transfers. We provide features like key-based authentication, encryption at rest, and GDPR compliance to ensure your data is handled safely.

For more information on choosing between FTPS and SFTP, check out our tutorial: [link_to_ftps_vs_sftp]

Learn how to set up SFTP using key authentication for enhanced security: [link_to_ssh_key_auth]