Your SFTP server is a liability
Static SSH keys. Shared credentials. Minimal audit logging. No content scanning. SFTP was designed for a world where the perimeter was the security boundary.
MnemoShare replaces SFTP with identity-bound, ephemeral file exchange — built for zero trust.
Legacy vs. Modern Secure Transfer
See how MnemoShare addresses every SFTP security gap.
SFTP vs. MnemoShare
A direct comparison of what SFTP gives you versus what modern secure file exchange should look like.
| Capability | SFTP | MnemoShare |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | SSH keys / passwords | SSO + MFA + ephemeral JWTs |
| Credential Lifespan | Permanent (until rotated) | Ephemeral (auto-expires) |
| Identity Verification | Key holder = authorized | Identity-bound to verified person |
| Audit Trail | Server logs (filename, timestamp) | Structured events + WORM export |
| Encryption at Rest | Disk-level (if configured) | AES-256-GCM per-file |
| Content Scanning | None | ClamAV + PHI/PII detection |
| Access Questions | None | Dynamic questionnaires |
| Key Rotation | Manual (often neglected) | Not needed — nothing to rotate |
| SIEM Integration | Manual log forwarding | Native (Splunk, Datadog, etc.) |
| Compliance Evidence | Minimal | Evidence-grade, tamper-evident |
Why organizations are replacing SFTP
SFTP was designed in the 1990s. The threat landscape has changed — but SFTP hasn't.
Static Credentials
SSH keys live forever unless manually rotated. Former employees, departed contractors, and decommissioned systems retain access. Most breaches start with valid credentials — and SFTP creates a target-rich environment.
Blind Spots
SFTP logs tell you a file was transferred. They don't tell you who authorized it, whether the recipient was verified, what was in the file, or whether it was supposed to leave the organization. Auditors and examiners need more.
Operational Overhead
Managing SSH keys across dozens of trading partners, rotating credentials on schedule, onboarding new users, and maintaining compliance documentation — all manual, all fragile, all expensive.
How to migrate from SFTP
MnemoShare is designed for incremental migration — you don't have to switch everything at once.
Start with your most sensitive exchanges
Identify the SFTP flows that carry regulated data (PHI, PII, financial records) or have audit requirements. Move these first to get immediate compliance benefits.
Connect your identity provider
MnemoShare integrates with your existing SSO (Azure AD, Okta, Ping, Google). Your users authenticate with their existing credentials — no new passwords, no separate user management.
Onboard external partners
Partners and vendors access shared files through identity-verified links — no software to install, no keys to exchange. Dynamic questionnaires verify authorization at the point of access.
Decommission SFTP servers
As flows are migrated, decommission legacy SFTP infrastructure. Every server removed eliminates credential sprawl, reduces attack surface, and simplifies your compliance posture.
What organizations are replacing
SFTP/FTPS Servers
OpenSSH, ProFTPD, FileZilla Server, vsftpd
MFT Appliances
MOVEit, Axway, GoAnywhere, IBM Sterling
Cloud Storage Workarounds
S3 pre-signed URLs, Azure SAS tokens, shared Google Drive
Encrypted Email
Zix, Virtru, PGP attachments, password-protected ZIPs
Related Comparisons
Evaluating specific legacy MFT platforms? See our detailed comparison pages.
The Breach Record
Legacy file transfer infrastructure is the most exploited attack surface in regulated industries. These are not theoretical risks — they are documented incidents with known root causes.
MOVEit Transfer
CVE-2023-34362SQL injection in a monolithic web application. 2,600+ organizations compromised. Estimated $10B+ in total costs. The root cause: a decades-old architecture that exposed a web interface with direct database access and no application-layer segmentation.
MnemoShare's answer: Cloud-native microservices architecture with no monolithic attack surface. API server is separate from data layer. No direct database access from web-facing components.
GoAnywhere MFT
CVE-2023-0669Pre-authentication remote code execution via exposed admin console. 130+ organizations compromised. The root cause: administrative interfaces accessible without authentication on a monolithic appliance.
MnemoShare's answer: No exposed admin console. Administrative access requires SSO authentication + MFA. All admin actions produce immutable audit events.
Accellion FTA
CVE-2021-27101/02/03/04Chain of four vulnerabilities — SQL injection, OS command execution, SSRF, and arbitrary file write — in a 20-year-old codebase. The root cause: legacy software patched forward long past its architectural limits.
MnemoShare's answer: Modern codebase built in Go with memory safety, static analysis in CI/CD, dependency scanning, and minimal attack surface from containerized deployment.
SFTP Credential Compromise
SystemicSSH key sprawl across organizations. Keys never rotated, shared among teams, leaked in source repositories, and inherited by departing employees. Not a single CVE — a systemic design flaw baked into every SFTP deployment.
MnemoShare's answer: Ephemeral JWTs replace permanent SSH keys. Credentials expire automatically. Nothing to rotate, revoke, or forget. Optional hardware mTLS for highest-assurance environments.
Ready to retire your SFTP server?
See how MnemoShare replaces static credentials with identity-bound, ephemeral exchange — with encryption and audit trails that actually satisfy auditors.