Secure Copy Protocol (SCP)

Secure Copy Protocol (SCP)

While FTP is easy to use to transfer files, it has a major security problem in that the username and password are sent along with the file request in clear text (i.e., not encrypted). It would be a relatively simple matter for someone to intercept that information and use it for other purposes. 
      Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) was designed to overcome this limitation. It uses SSH to establish and maintain an encrypted connection between hosts. The file transfer can then take place
without fear of password or data interception.