220-1102 Question 813
Single answerFile transfer softwareA technician needs to transfer nightly accounting exports from a Windows workstation to a vendor-managed Linux server over the internet. The vendor has stated that plain FTP is not permitted because credentials and files must be encrypted in transit. The technician also wants to avoid opening unnecessary ports on the company firewall. Which file transfer method should the technician use?
- A
FTP over port 21
- B
TFTP over port 69
- C
SFTP over SSH on port 22
- D
SMB file sharing over port 445
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The best answer is SFTP over SSH on port 22 because the scenario specifically requires encrypted transfer of both credentials and files, while also minimizing firewall changes. Standard FTP and TFTP do not provide the required encryption. SMB is primarily designed for local or domain-managed file sharing and is not a recommended choice for direct internet-facing vendor transfers. This aligns with common security best practices and vendor file exchange procedures. CompTIA A+ Core 2 objectives commonly expect candidates to distinguish between insecure legacy protocols such as FTP and TFTP and secure alternatives such as SFTP. SSH-based file transfer is widely documented as a secure approach for remote administrative and file transfer tasks.
- A. Incorrect.
FTP over port 21 is incorrect because standard FTP does not encrypt usernames, passwords, or file contents. This makes it unsuitable when the vendor requires encrypted transfer over the internet. A common misconception is that FTP is acceptable as long as the destination is trusted, but the traffic itself remains exposed unless a secure variant is used.
- B. Incorrect.
TFTP over port 69 is incorrect because TFTP is a lightweight file transfer protocol typically used for simple transfers such as boot files or device firmware in controlled environments. It does not provide authentication or encryption, so it does not meet the stated security requirement. Some candidates choose TFTP because it is simple and uses few resources, but that simplicity comes at the cost of security.
- C. Correct.
SFTP over SSH on port 22 is correct because SFTP provides encrypted file transfer through the SSH protocol, protecting both credentials and data in transit. It also typically requires only port 22, helping minimize firewall exposure. In a real-world business scenario involving internet-based file transfers and vendor access, SFTP is a standard best-practice choice.
- D. Incorrect.
SMB file sharing over port 445 is incorrect because although SMB can support secured communication in some environments, exposing SMB directly to the internet is not a recommended practice and creates significant security risk. SMB is generally intended for internal network file sharing rather than vendor-managed internet file transfer workflows. A user might pick SMB because it is familiar on Windows systems, but it is not the best fit here.