Linux or UNIX securely copy files across a network computer

by nixCraft on July 30, 2006 · 16 comments· last updated at August 24, 2007

Q. FTP is insecure, how do I securely copy files across a network computer? My network has Windows and Linux systems.

A. You need to use Openssh client and server technology to copy between two more network computers. You can also find free ssh client tools. scp copies files between hosts on a network. It uses ssh for data transfer, and uses the same authentication and provides the same security as ssh.

Copy from Linux to Linux/UNIX system

Copy file called data.txt to ras.nixcraft.in Linux system (vivek is username):
$ scp data.txt vivek@ras.nixcraft.in:/home/vivek

Copy more than two files:
$ scp data.txt pic.jpg vivek@ras.nixcraft.in:/home/vivek
Copy /data directory and all files inside /data i.e. recursively copy entire directories:
$ scp -r /data vivek@ras.nixcraft.in:/home/vivek

Copy from Windows to Linux/UNIX system

You can download any one of the following free Windows SCP client

Just install above client and follow on screen instructions.

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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Todd July 11, 2007 at 4:15 pm

Is there a way to copy multiple files to multiple servers? I’ve tried putting in a space and the location of the other server but no luck.

2 vivek July 11, 2007 at 7:01 pm

Todd,

You can copy multiple files to multiple servers using shell for loop:

SERVERS="user1@box1 user2@box2 user3@box3"
for s in $SERVERS
do
  scp file1 file2 ${s}:/path
done

3 Raj February 13, 2008 at 11:53 pm

you could also use it without a script.

for i in 1 2 3; do scp file1 file2 user@box$i; done

4 Raj February 13, 2008 at 11:55 pm

Actually it would be better if you could generate the ssh. keys and add it to your client machines.

5 Arun March 7, 2008 at 5:45 am

Is it possible to send password in the same line?
As in ftp we use, user/password@host . We cant disturb the remote machine for moving public key files. Thats why.

6 module November 30, 2008 at 11:51 am

I found this
http://toic.org/mscp/
to be very helpful when you need to scp files to multiple hosts.

7 laurent June 12, 2009 at 9:53 am

Hi vivek,

thank you for sharing all that in all the really goods post, article and tip/tricks. I’m not a sysadmin and your site has help me a lot those past moths for managing my server. Thanks !

8 D November 11, 2009 at 3:45 pm

yes! very nice site !! thank you!

9 shashwat singh February 22, 2010 at 9:31 am

hi
I am a new user to linux and just wanna noe how to share files in a network btw linux to linux machines or linux to windows
hoping for some quick response

10 vishal February 25, 2010 at 5:25 pm

When i try to copy a file from one server to another server using rcp command, i get error permission denied & if i use command scp, then it gives error connection lost whereas the server is pingable.

11 Shameem January 19, 2011 at 2:00 pm