SCP

SCP (Secure Copy Protocol)

SCP (Secure Copy Protocol) is a command-line utility used to securely transfer files and directories between two computers over a network. It uses the SSH (Secure Shell) protocol to provide encryption and authentication, ensuring data confidentiality during transit.

SCP is available by default on most Unix-like operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and FreeBSD, and is widely used for remote file transfers to and from servers, including seedboxes, VPS servers, and cloud platforms.

Key Features

• **Encrypted transfer** – Uses SSH to securely transmit files
• **Authentication** – Supports password and public key login
• **Fast and reliable** – Good performance for bulk file transfers
• **Cross-platform support** – Available on Linux, macOS, and Windows (via third-party clients)

Basic Syntax

<syntaxhighlight lang="bash"> scp [options] [source] [destination] </syntaxhighlight>

Examples

Copy a local file to a remote server:

<syntaxhighlight lang="bash"> scp file.txt user@remote_host:/remote/directory/ </syntaxhighlight>

Copy a file from a remote server to the local machine:

<syntaxhighlight lang="bash"> scp user@remote_host:/remote/file.txt /local/directory/ </syntaxhighlight>

Copy an entire directory recursively:

<syntaxhighlight lang="bash"> scp -r /local/folder user@remote_host:/remote/directory/ </syntaxhighlight>

Use a custom port (e.g., 2222):

<syntaxhighlight lang="bash"> scp -P 2222 file.txt user@remote_host:/remote/path/ </syntaxhighlight>

SCP vs SFTP

While both SCP and SFTP use SSH and offer secure file transfers, there are key differences:

Feature	SCP	SFTP
Protocol	SSH-based	SSH-based	File transfer	Direct (fast, limited features)	Interactive (supports resume, list, delete)	Directory browsing	No	Yes	Resume transfers	No	Yes	GUI clients	Limited	Widely supported	Speed	Slightly faster	More robust	Scriptable	Yes	Yes

Use Cases

• Uploading files to a remote server or seedbox
• Backing up configuration files from a remote VPS
• Securely copying logs, media, or documents over SSH
• Automating transfers with shell scripts or cron jobs

SCP Clients

• Native on Linux/macOS: `scp` in the terminal
• Windows: Use via

 * PuTTY tools (e.g., `pscp.exe`)
 * WinSCP GUI client
 * MobaXterm with SCP integration

Security Considerations

• SCP inherits the security of SSH (strong encryption and authentication)
• Use SSH keys instead of passwords for improved security
• Ensure remote servers are configured with strong access controls and updated software

Deprecation Note

OpenSSH has deprecated the legacy SCP protocol in newer versions due to protocol vulnerabilities. The `scp` command still functions but may internally use SFTP when available. Users are encouraged to transition to `sftp` or `rsync` over SSH for secure, modern transfers.

Alternatives

• SFTP – Secure File Transfer Protocol
• rsync – Efficient file synchronization over SSH
• WebDAV – File access over HTTP/HTTPS
• FTP/FTPS – Legacy file transfer protocols

See Also

• SSH
• SFTP
• WinSCP
• Seedbox
• rsync
• Remote file management
• Public key authentication