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Secure copy protocol
open-in-new
<p>Secure copy protocol (SCP) is a means of securely transferring <a href="/facts/Computer_file/FjFH3Ufm">computer files</a> between a local host and a remote <a href="/facts/Server_(computing)/dEaYFD7r">host</a> or between two remote hosts. It is based on the <a href="/facts/Secure_Shell/wjVRw5zv">Secure Shell</a> (SSH) protocol. "SCP" commonly refers to both the Secure Copy Protocol and the program itself. </p><p>According to <a href="/facts/OpenSSH/2qxJ3Fe7">OpenSSH</a> developers in April 2019, SCP is outdated, inflexible and not readily fixed; they recommend the use of more modern protocols like <a href="/facts/SSH_File_Transfer_Protocol/88YptbER">SFTP</a> and <a href="/facts/Rsync/H4UlsQ3U">rsync</a> for file transfer. As of OpenSSH version 9.0, scp client therefore uses SFTP for file transfers by default instead of the legacy SCP/RCP protocol. </p>