FTPS is a common method of securing an FTP connection. File Transfer Protocol (FTP) was originally designed to allow users to browse directories and transfer files between computer systems. The problem is that the FTP protocol has no provisions for security, and all information, including usernames, passwords and file data, is transmitted unencrypted. So anyone on the same network can easily examine the data as it is sent between machines.
More Secure than FTP
Available in all versions
FTPS (FTP over SSL/TLS) solves this problem by first securing the connection using SSL or TLS encryption, before any user or file data is exchanged.
What Types of FTPS Exist?
There are generally two modes of secure FTP available:
- FTPS uses implicit SSL/TLS to establish a secure connection before the FTP session begins, very similar to HTTPS. Regular FTP commands are then sent over the secure connection and protected by the TLS/SSL protocol.
- FTPES uses newer FTP commands to explicitily upgrade an unencrypted FTP connection to a secure connection during the initial authentication step. The FTPES protocol is somewhat more firewall friendly that the FTPS protocol, and allows the server and client to negotiate different levels of encryption and integrity protection on the control and data channels.
Is FTPS the Same as SFTP?
Another method of establishing secure connections and exchanging files is called SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), but despite the name similarity, SFTP is an entirely different protocol than FTPS.
Full Feature List
Protocols
FTP, FTP/S, SFTP, SCP, HTTP/S
Transfer Security
SSH, SSL, FIPS 140-2
MFT Automation
Event, Alert & Sync Tools
Environment
Windows Server, Cloud & Virtual
Access Protection
IP, User & Protocol Restriction Tools
Account Management
AD, LDAP, 2FA & More
Auditing and Reporting
File Access, User and Admin Logging
Administration Tools
API, Sync Manager, & Other Tools
Industry Solutions
Cerberus FTP Server Editions
Standard
- FTP/S Server
- SOAP control API
- IP auto-banning
- User groups
- Web administration
- Virtual directories
$499 | 1 Yr Maintenance
Professional
- SFTP serverÂ
- AD/LDAP integration
- FIPS-140-2
- Public key authentication
- Client certificate verification
- Server replication
$899 | 1 Yr Maintenance
Enterprise
- MFT server
- HTTPS web client
- Event automation
- Email alerts
- File retention policies
- Ad-hoc sharing
$2,199 | 1 Yr Maintenance
Raved and Reviewed
Here’s what a few of our many satisfied customers have to say about Cerberus FTP Server.
“Our users have found Cerberus to be straightforward. We have handled many service tickets over the past three years, and Cerberus has had the least number of issues, by far.”
“We’ve been using Cerberus for at least five years, and it’s been awesome. Everything’s been very simple and easy, and we haven’t come across any limitations. It always just seems to work.”
“It’s not designed to be complicated, and it doesn’t need to be managed. I can hire someone new and they can be up to speed in minutes. Everyone on the team loves it.”
Latest News
Redwood Software Acquires Cerberus FTP Server to Extend Leadership in Delivering Secure File Transfer Automation Solutions
FRISCO, TX – February 1, 2023 – Redwood Software, the industry leader in full stack automation, today announced its acquisition of Cerberus, a leading secure file transfer provider that serves some of the largest global organizations. Following Redwood’s recent...
What is the difference between FIPS 140-2 and 140-3? Â
The U.S. federal government's transition to the FIPS 140-3 cryptography standard has begun, with NIST announcing that all FIPS 140-2 certificates will be retired in September 2026. Cerberus FTP Server versions 12.11 and higher have moved to OpenSSL 3, which will...
FTPS vs. FTPES: Which Should You Use? Â
Two types of secure FTP exist: FTPS and FTPES. While they are both built on the same protocol, FTPS and FTPES have subtle differences that make them better for different scenarios. In this blog, we’ll compare the differences between FTPS and FTPES to help you make an...