SSH, SFTP, FTPS, and FTP Credentials

SSH, SFTP, FTPS, and FTP credentials allow Jetpack and the Jetpack VaultPress Backup plugin to perform restores. They can also be used to connect backups when the initial connection doesn’t work. These credentials also allow Jetpack users with a Jetpack Scan plan to fix threats found in security scans.

Jetpack VaultPress Backup is the backup solution provisioned for all new Jetpack plans that include backups.

What are SSH, SFTP, FTPS, and FTP credentials?

Every site is hosted on a server – this is where the files, directories, programs, and services that make up your site are located.

SSH (Secure Shell), SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol), FTPS (a.k.a FTP-SSL, and FTP Secure), and FTP (File Transfer Protocol) are different types of server credentials. These credentials allow you, or a service like Jetpack VaultPress Backup, to directly access the server that’s powering your website.

SSH, SFTP, and FTPS establish secure server connections, whereas FTP does not, and for that reason, it is not recommended if SSH or SFTP is available.

Server credentials are unique and different from:

Your WordPress.org login
Your WP Admin login
Your WordPress.com login
Your host’s control panel or dashboard login

SSH, SFTP, FTPS, and FTP credentials provide a way to transfer files from one host to another. The manner in which this happens is different for each method:

File Access Permission

Note that when creating new SFTP/SSH credentials to use with Jetpack VaultPress Backup, you need to set the correct access permissions (full read and write access) to the WordPress directory.

File access permissions are a set of instructions that dictate who can access and modify WordPress files and folders.

It is important to set the correct permissions to your WordPress install to allow Jetpack VaultPress Backup to back up your files (read access) and restore the files (write access).

The required settings could vary depending on your host, so we can’t provide the exact permissions you’ll need.

Your hosting provider can help with this, and they may even provide instructions in their support documentation.

Why does Jetpack need them?

We need credentials in order to restore your files and data. We can also use these to connect for backups if the Jetpack connection isn’t working. It is by far the most efficient and reliable way to back up the potentially large amounts of data involved with running a site.

Note: We will never use these credentials for anything other than backups and restores without asking your permission first.

We recommend SSH, as it’s the most robust, secure, and efficient. Please note that currently, only unencrypted private keys are supported, which means keys without a password or passphrase.

If your host doesn’t allow SSH access, we recommend SFTP as the next best option as it provides some security beyond what FTP offers. If you can’t get either, FTP will also work.

Note: We do support FTPS protocol, but we do not recommend it since it is a deprecated protocol.

Where do I find these credentials?

Your host provides these credentials for you. You will often receive these details via email when you first create a hosting account.

You can often find these credentials by referring to your host’s documentation. You can also contact them directly and they’ll point you in the right direction.