* Application data needs to be protected against tampering or leaks when transiting over the network.
* Application data transits over an untrusted network.
* Compliance rules require the service to encrypt data in transit.
* OS-level protections against clear-text traffic are deactivated.
There is a risk if you answered yes to any of those questions.
== Recommended Secure Coding Practices
* Make application data transit over a secure, authenticated and encrypted protocol like TLS or SSH. Here are a few alternatives to the most common clear-text protocols:
** Use ``++sftp++``, ``++scp++``, or ``++ftps++`` instead of ``++ftp++``.
** Use ``++https++`` instead of ``++http++``.
It is recommended to secure all transport channels, even on local networks, as it can take a single non-secure connection to compromise an entire application or system.
