Since a while, I am looking for a viable network transfer protocol with encryption support.

Let me explain.

Currently, I am using FTP with user accounts, but I am not happy because I hate plain text password auth. So, I decided to use a SSL way to communicate with my file server.

pure-ftpd offers me: log file (so I can make stats with webalizer or something else) and statuts information (pure-ftpwho).

So, what could I use ?

FTPs
You have to:

  • Run the client on a non-NATed host or it will not work. That's not very easy for everyone.

or

  • Open a range of port in your server's firewall to enable active connection, and that's not a good thing for me.

or

  • Patch pure-ftpd (which I am currently using) for having it running iptables commands to open port when it need them. Berk.

SFTP/SCP
You do not have any log file (or you have to patch) and no statuts about who is doing what.

RSYNC over ssh
You do not have log files, and no statuts information too.

HTTPS
That's not a file transfer protocol.

So, any idea ?