Which acronym stands for 'File Transfer Protocol over Secure File Transfer Protocol'?

• A. FTPS
• B. FTP
• C. FTPSec
• D. FPTS

Answer: (A)

This question tests recognizing how FTP can be secured by wrapping it in a secure transport. FTPS stands for File Transfer Protocol over SSL/TLS, the secure variant of FTP that encrypts the traffic to protect credentials and data in transit. That secure transport is what makes it the appropriate match for a “File Transfer Protocol over Secure …” description, since the emphasis is on using a secure channel rather than plain FTP. It’s worth noting that SFTP is a different protocol (SSH File Transfer Protocol) and doesn’t use SSL/TLS at all, so it isn’t the same concept. Plain FTP has no encryption, so it isn’t the secure option. The other acronyms listed aren’t standard terms for this concept, while FTPS is the established name for FTP secured by SSL/TLS.