How to Use the SCP Command to Transfer Files in Linux

You probably already know that to copy a file is the CP command. But there’s another command, too: the SCP command. The SCP command is the “secured copy” command, but most people would probably refer to it as an “upload” or “download” function. The SCP command is used to transfer data between local and remote systems or between two remote systems.

Why do you need to use the SCP command?

If you know how to use the CP command, you know how to copy directories in Linux on a local computer. But sometimes the computers aren’t local. 

Whenever you transfer data over a network, you need your data encrypted. If your data isn’t properly encrypted and secured, others can steal it. Now, you might just be sending over data that isn’t very important, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t always secure data — you could be surprised at what hackers can do when they can interfere with your information.

The SCP command is a little harder to use than the regular CP command, but that’s primarily because it requires host information to transfer the data, not because of the actual security. Because the SCP command is a little deprecated (discussed later), it’s most likely to come up in Linux interview questions rather than real-world scenarios.

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Andrei Dumitrescu, Crystal Mind Academy