Security News > 2021 > January > Why you should use SCP to securely transfer files
If you're still using unsecured copy methods to transfer data to and from client devices, there's no better time to learn SCP. Here's why it's beneficial to encrypt your transfers.
As usual, you are pressed for time, so you skip ahead to simply copying the files via a script you've had since the dawn of your IT career to make short work of the transfer process.
If you wish to add an extra layer of security to your SSH connections, creating an SSH key pair is just the thing to secure connections between client devices.
It's important to note that the use of SSH key authentication does not replace SCP for file transfers, but it augments the existing security to verify the devices that are communicating.
If a device is not recognized, then it could be either a new device that doesn't have the proper keys installed or could be an indicator of a device impersonating another.
If you do have a lot of devices to manage, SCP with SSH key authentication will make your transfers that much more secure and provide less overhead when logging into devices remotely.