Using SSH instead of Telnet or FTP:

The Telnet and FTP programs have a serious security problem--when you type your password it is broadcast in clear text, which means that any other computer listening on that network can potentially read your password. Hackers make use of this flaw by installing "sniffer" programs that specifically listen for passwords from any computer on the network. A more secure alternative to telnet and ftp, is to use the Secure Shell (SSH), which both encrypts the connection and uses digital signatures to positively identify the host at the other end of the connection.  To download SSH click here