Describe the authentication that is available for various file service protocols: AFP, SMB, NFS, FTP/SFTP? Which protocol supports which kind of authentication? Which file sharing protocols are browsable by which service discovery protocols? Is the authentication sent encrypted? Is the data encrypted?

Oct 13, 2005

AFP – authentication is normally encrypted; data is not encrypted; browsable via Bonjour & SLP

SMB – authentication is normally encrypted; data is not encrypted; browsable via NetBOIS

NFS – no user authentication at all; browsable via Bonjour & SLP

FTP – authentication is sent in the clear (cleartext); data is not encrypted; browsable via Bonjour, SLP

SFTP – authentication is encrypted; data is encrypted; not browsable

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