When you require a scp copy of more than 1 file to a destination that is not a directory, scp copy the last input file to the destination (version openssh-3.8.1p1). Thus if you forget to specify the destination, the last file is _silently destroyed_. I know that rcp exhibits the same behaviour but cp and rsync don't do anything in that case and _kindly_ warn you that you made a mistake: cp: copying multiple files, but last argument `<file>' is not a directory Try `cp --help' for more information. ERROR: destination must be a directory when copying more than 1 file rsync error: errors selecting input/output files, dirs (code 3) at main.c(371) rsync: connection unexpectedly closed (8 bytes received so far) [sender] rsync error: error in rsync protocol data stream (code 12) at io.c(359) Why not that user-friendly behaviour for scp, which shouldn't make the same mistakes as rcp? A user who is sad to have lost data with a "secure" command.