There are different uses for port forwarding in SSH (acronym for “secure shell”, “secure shell” in French). Typically, SSH port forwarding is used to create a encrypted connection between a local computer (the localhost) and a remote computer. The use of this virtual network makes it possible to override certain access restrictions. You will appear to be on this network, when in reality you are just accessing it using an SSH tunnel. It looks like a Virtual Private Network (VPN) but is different. Be careful not to confuse the two, however.
If you are transporting data from services that use an encrypted protocol, you can use SSH redirect to encrypt the data transfer. A SSH File Transfer Protocol (“SSH File Transfer Protocol”), SFTP for short, will be used for this purpose. SSH tunnels also provide increased security when venturing into networks you don’t know, such as a hotel or coffee shop. SSH keys use asymmetric encryption and offer an even higher level of security.
It should be noted that the use of SSH tunnels is frequently used by hackers, who create backdoors inside internal networks so that intruders can easily access the data.
