Running an FTP server using docker is really easy. In fact, you can use it running the following image: atmoz/sftp – But, at the end we want to know what is and FTP and why is it worth to know a little about it.

As Bhusahm said, the mail objective of the kind of protocol as FTP is:

A principal objective of the protocol is to promote the indirect use of computers on the network. Therefore, the user or his program should have a simple and uniform interface to the file systems on the network and be shielded from the variations in file and storage systems of different host computers. This is achieved by the existence of a standard protocol in each host.

FTP, a network protocol with origins dating back to 1971, functions in a client/server paradigm, enabling the direct transfer of files between an FTP client and a web server. The protocol utilizes two separate channels to manage information flow: one dedicated to command transmission and the other to data exchange. It is essential to note that both channels in FTP operate without encryption, potentially exposing transmitted data to security vulnerabilities.

For that reason SFTP was created. To protec the movement of the information. How it works?

Unlike traditional FTP, Secure Shell FTP (SFTP) only uses a single channel to move the data. This channel is encrypted and is protected by a username/password combination or by the use of SSH cryptographic keys. Anyone who intercepts the transmission between the client and server would be unable to read the data due to the encryption.

File transfer protocols: FTP vs SFTP  – Red Hat

Documents:

• A FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL – A. Bhusham – Network Working Group MIT
• File transfer protocols: FTP vs SFTP  – Red Hat