Pros:
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Security: SSHFS utilizes SSH for file transfer, providing encryption and secure authentication, which is crucial when dealing with sensitive data or accessing remote systems over untrusted networks.
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Ease of Setup: SSHFS is relatively easy to set up compared to other remote filesystem solutions. With just a few commands, you can mount remote filesystems securely without requiring additional software or complex configurations.
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Flexibility: SSHFS allows you to mount remote filesystems seamlessly as if they were local, providing a transparent way to access files and directories on remote systems. This flexibility simplifies workflows for developers working with remote resources.
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Compatibility: SSHFS is supported on various Unix-like operating systems, including Linux and macOS, making it a versatile solution for accessing remote filesystems across different platforms.
Cons:
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Resource Consumption: SSHFS can be resource-intensive, requiring additional CPU and memory resources for encryption and decryption operations. This overhead may be noticeable on systems with limited resources or when transferring large amounts of data.
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Network Dependency: SSHFS requires a stable network connection between the client and server. Any network disruptions or latency issues can affect the performance and responsiveness of mounted filesystems.
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Limited Features: SSHFS may not support all features and functionalities provided by other network filesystems, such as NFS or Samba. Advanced features like file locking or access control lists may be limited or unavailable over SSHFS.
Overall, while SSHFS may consume CPU, memory, and network resources during file transfers, the impact is generally manageable for typical usage scenarios. However, it’s essential to consider the specific requirements and constraints of your environment, such as available hardware resources and network bandwidth, when evaluating the resource consumption of SSHFS. Additionally, monitoring system resource utilization during SSHFS file transfers can help identify and address any potential performance bottlenecks.
sshfs is just a layer on top of ssh/sftp. Any security patches to OpenSSH will also affect sshfs. I can’t think of many attack vectors for sshfs that don’t overlap with ssh. I can’t even find any previously disclosed vulnerabilities that affect sshfs.
Even if a vulnerability is discovered, chances are that most distros will distribute the package with security patches applied, as has been the case with unmaintained (but otherwise still commonly used) software.