CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

Which protocol allows the transfer of files in a simple manner?

1. FTP

2. SFTP

3. TFTP

4. HTTP

The correct answer is: TFTP

The protocol that allows for the transfer of files in a simple manner is TFTP, which stands for Trivial File Transfer Protocol. TFTP is designed for minimalism and ease of implementation; it uses a very simple command set and operates over User Datagram Protocol (UDP), which facilitates quicker and less complex file transfer operations compared to other protocols. TFTP is particularly useful in scenarios where the overhead of a more robust protocol is unnecessary, such as in network booting and firmware updates. Its simplicity means that it doesn't have authentication mechanisms, making it more straightforward but also less secure compared to other options such as FTP or SFTP. Other protocols mentioned serve different purposes or use cases. For example, FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is more feature-rich, providing authentication and support for larger file transfers but with greater complexity. SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) adds a layer of security by encrypting the data being transferred and is generally used when secure transfers are necessary. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is primarily designed for transferring web pages and other internet resources rather than files in a dedicated file transfer manner. Thus, TFTP’s design and operational simplicity are why it is the correct choice for transferring files in a straightforward way.