diff --git a/cmake/Modules/FindLIBSSH.cmake b/cmake/Modules/FindLIBSSH.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..421da74811
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/Modules/FindLIBSSH.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+# - Try to find LIBSSH
+# Once done this will define
+#
+#  LIBSSH_FOUND - system has LIBSSH
+#  LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS - the LIBSSH include directory
+#  LIBSSH_LIBRARIES - Link these to use LIBSSH
+#  LIBSSH_DEFINITIONS - Compiler switches required for using LIBSSH
+#
+#  Copyright (c) 2008 Andreas Schneider <mail@cynapses.org>
+#
+#  Redistribution and use is allowed according to the terms of the New
+#  BSD license.
+#  For details see the accompanying COPYING-CMAKE-SCRIPTS file.
+#
+
+
+if (LIBSSH_LIBRARIES AND LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS)
+  # in cache already
+  set(LIBSSH_FOUND TRUE)
+else (LIBSSH_LIBRARIES AND LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS)
+  find_path(LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR
+    NAMES
+      libssh/libssh.h
+    PATHS
+      /usr/include
+      /usr/local/include
+      /opt/local/include
+      /sw/include
+  )
+  mark_as_advanced(LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR)
+
+  find_library(SSH_LIBRARY
+    NAMES
+      ssh
+    PATHS
+      /usr/lib
+      /usr/local/lib
+      /opt/local/lib
+      /sw/lib
+  )
+  mark_as_advanced(SSH_LIBRARY)
+
+  if (SSH_LIBRARY)
+    set(SSH_FOUND TRUE)
+  endif (SSH_LIBRARY)
+
+  set(LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS
+    ${LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR}
+  )
+
+  if (SSH_FOUND)
+    set(LIBSSH_LIBRARIES
+      ${LIBSSH_LIBRARIES}
+      ${SSH_LIBRARY}
+    )
+  endif (SSH_FOUND)
+
+  if (LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS AND LIBSSH_LIBRARIES)
+     set(LIBSSH_FOUND TRUE)
+  endif (LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS AND LIBSSH_LIBRARIES)
+
+  if (LIBSSH_FOUND)
+    if (NOT LIBSSH_FIND_QUIETLY)
+      message(STATUS "Found LIBSSH: ${LIBSSH_LIBRARIES}")
+    endif (NOT LIBSSH_FIND_QUIETLY)
+  else (LIBSSH_FOUND)
+    if (LIBSSH_FIND_REQUIRED)
+      message(FATAL_ERROR "Could not find LIBSSH")
+    endif (LIBSSH_FIND_REQUIRED)
+  endif (LIBSSH_FOUND)
+
+  # show the LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS and LIBSSH_LIBRARIES variables only in the advanced view
+  mark_as_advanced(LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS LIBSSH_LIBRARIES)
+
+endif (LIBSSH_LIBRARIES AND LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS)
+
diff --git a/modules/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/CMakeLists.txt
index cd5a5aeace..d4a4d9c99e 100644
--- a/modules/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 project(modules)
 
 find_package(Libsmbclient REQUIRED)
+find_package(LIBSSH REQUIRED)
 
 set(MODULES_PUBLIC_INCLUDE_DIRS
   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
@@ -17,6 +18,10 @@ set(SMB_PLUGIN
   csync_smb
 )
 
+set(SFTP_PLUGIN
+  csync_sftp
+)
+
 include_directories(
   ${MODULES_PUBLIC_INCLUDE_DIRS}
   ${MODULES_PRIVATE_INCLUDE_DIRS}
@@ -27,10 +32,19 @@ target_link_libraries(${SMB_PLUGIN} ${LIBSMBCLIENT_LIBRARIES} ${CSTDLIB_LIBRARY}
 
 macro_add_plugin(csync_dummy csync_dummy.c)
 
+macro_add_plugin(${SFTP_PLUGIN} csync_sftp.c)
+target_link_libraries(${SFTP_PLUGIN} ${LIBSSH_LIBRARIES} ${CSTDLIB_LIBRARY})
+
 INSTALL(
   TARGETS
     ${SMB_PLUGIN}
+    ${SFTP_PLUGIN}
   DESTINATION
     ${PLUGIN_INSTALL_DIR}
 )
 
+# create test file as bad plugin for the vio testcase
+file(WRITE
+  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/csync_bad.so
+  "bad plugin"
+)
diff --git a/modules/csync_sftp.c b/modules/csync_sftp.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8aeb562102
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/csync_sftp.c
@@ -0,0 +1,603 @@
+/*
+ * libcsync -- a library to sync a directory with another
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2008      by Andreas Schneider <mail@cynapses.org>
+ *
+ * This program is free software = NULL, you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+ * as published by the Free Software Foundation = NULL, either version 2
+ * of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY = NULL, without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program = NULL, if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ * Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
+ *
+ * vim: ts=2 sw=2 et cindent
+ */
+
+#ifndef _GNU_SOURCE
+#define _GNU_SOURCE
+#endif
+
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <time.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+
+#include <libssh/sftp.h>
+
+#include "c_lib.h"
+#include "vio/csync_vio_module.h"
+#include "vio/csync_vio_file_stat.h"
+
+#ifdef NDEBUG
+#define DEBUG_SFTP(x)
+#else
+#define DEBUG_SFTP(x) printf x
+#endif
+
+int connected;
+SSH_SESSION *ssh_session;
+SFTP_SESSION *sftp_session;
+
+/* parse_uri */
+static const char *uri_prefix = "sftp:";
+static int parse_uri(const char *uri, char **user, char **passwd,
+    char **hostname, char **port, char **path) {
+  const char *p = NULL;
+  const char *r = NULL;
+  const char *q = NULL;
+  char *s = NULL;
+  size_t len = 0;
+
+  /* Ensure these returns are at least valid pointers. */
+  *hostname = c_strdup("");
+  *port = c_strdup("");
+  *path = c_strdup("");
+  *user = c_strdup("");
+  *passwd = c_strdup("");
+
+  if (*hostname == NULL || *port == NULL || *path == NULL ||
+      *user == NULL || *passwd == NULL) {
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  s = c_strdup(uri);
+  if (s == NULL) {
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  len = strlen(uri_prefix);
+  /* check if we have the right prefix */
+  if (strncmp(s, uri_prefix, len) || (s[len] != '/' && s[len] != '\0')) {
+    goto err;
+  }
+
+  p = s + len;
+
+  if (strncmp(p, "//", 2) == 2) {
+    DEBUG_SFTP(("Invalid path (does not begin with sftp://\n"));
+    goto err;
+  }
+
+  /* Skip the double slash */
+  p += 2;
+
+  if (*p == '\0') {
+    goto decoding;
+  }
+
+  /* check that '@' occurs before '/', if '/' exists at all */
+  q = strchr(p, '@');
+  r = strchr(p, '/');
+  if (q && (!r || q < r)) {
+    char *userinfo = NULL;
+    const char *u;
+    userinfo = c_strndup(p, q - p);
+    if (userinfo == NULL) {
+      goto err;
+    }
+    u = strchr(userinfo, ':');
+    if (u) {
+      SAFE_FREE(*user);
+      *user = c_strndup(userinfo, u - userinfo);
+      if (*user == NULL) {
+        SAFE_FREE(userinfo);
+        goto err;
+      }
+      SAFE_FREE(*passwd);
+      *passwd = c_strdup(u + 1);
+      if (*passwd == NULL) {
+        SAFE_FREE(userinfo);
+        goto err;
+      }
+    } else {
+      SAFE_FREE(*user);
+      *user = c_strdup(userinfo);
+      if (*user == NULL) {
+        SAFE_FREE(userinfo);
+        goto err;
+      }
+    }
+
+    len = strlen(userinfo) + 1;
+    SAFE_FREE(userinfo);
+    p += len;
+  }
+  DEBUG_SFTP(("user: %s\n", *user));
+  DEBUG_SFTP(("passwd: %s\n", *passwd));
+
+  if (*p == '\0') {
+    goto decoding;
+  }
+
+  /* check if we have a path */
+  r = strchr(p, '/');
+  if (r) {
+    char *h = NULL;
+    h = c_strndup(p, r - p);
+    if (h == NULL) {
+      goto err;
+    }
+    /* look for port */
+    q = strchr(h, ':');
+    if (q) {
+      SAFE_FREE(*port);
+      *port = c_strdup(q + 1);
+      if (*port == NULL) {
+        SAFE_FREE(h);
+        goto err;
+      }
+      SAFE_FREE(*hostname);
+      *hostname = c_strndup(h, q - h);
+      if (*hostname == NULL) {
+        SAFE_FREE(h);
+        goto err;
+      }
+    } else {
+      SAFE_FREE(*hostname);
+      *hostname = c_strdup(h);
+      if (*hostname == NULL) {
+        SAFE_FREE(h);
+        goto err;
+      }
+    }
+    len = strlen(h) + 1;
+    SAFE_FREE(h);
+  } else {
+    SAFE_FREE(*hostname);
+    *hostname = c_strdup(p);
+    if (*hostname == NULL) {
+      goto err;
+    }
+    len = strlen(p);
+  }
+  DEBUG_SFTP(("hostname: %s\n", *hostname));
+  DEBUG_SFTP(("port: %s\n", *port));
+
+  p += len;
+  if (*p == '\0') {
+    goto decoding;
+  }
+
+  SAFE_FREE(*path);
+  *path = c_strdup(p);
+  if (*path == NULL) {
+    goto err;
+  }
+
+  if (**path) {
+    char *d = NULL;
+    if (asprintf(&d, "/%s", *path) < 0) {
+      return -1;
+    }
+    SAFE_FREE(*path);
+    *path = d;
+    DEBUG_SFTP(("path: %s\n", *path));
+  }
+
+  goto decoding;
+err:
+  SAFE_FREE(s);
+  return -1;
+decoding:
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int _sftp_connect(const char *uri) {
+  SSH_OPTIONS *options = NULL;
+  char *user = NULL;
+  char *passwd = NULL;
+  char *host = NULL;
+  char *port = NULL;
+  char *path = NULL;
+  unsigned char hash[MD5_DIGEST_LEN];
+  int rc = -1;
+  int auth = SSH_AUTH_ERROR;
+  int state = SSH_SERVER_ERROR;
+
+  if (connected) {
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+  rc = parse_uri(uri, &user, &passwd, &host, &port, &path);
+  if (rc < 0) {
+    goto out;
+  }
+
+  options = ssh_options_new();
+  if (options == NULL) {
+    rc = -1;
+    goto out;
+  }
+
+  /* set the option to connect to the server */
+  ssh_options_set_host(options, host);
+  if (*port) {
+    ssh_options_set_port(options, atoi(port));
+  }
+
+  if (*user) {
+    ssh_options_set_username(options, user);
+  }
+
+  /* connect to the server */
+  ssh_session = ssh_new();
+  ssh_set_options(ssh_session, options);
+  rc = ssh_connect(ssh_session);
+  if (rc < 0) {
+    ssh_disconnect(ssh_session);
+    ssh_session = NULL;
+    ssh_finalize();
+    goto out;
+  }
+
+  /* check the server public key hash */
+  state = ssh_is_server_known(ssh_session);
+  switch (state) {
+    case SSH_SERVER_KNOWN_OK:
+      break;
+    case SSH_SERVER_KNOWN_CHANGED:
+      fprintf(stderr, "Host key for server changed : server's one is now :\n");
+      ssh_get_pubkey_hash(ssh_session, hash);
+      ssh_print_hexa("Public key hash", hash, MD5_DIGEST_LEN);
+      fprintf(stderr,"For security reason, connection will be stopped\n");
+      ssh_disconnect(ssh_session);
+      ssh_finalize();
+      rc = -1;
+      goto out;
+      break;
+    case SSH_SERVER_FOUND_OTHER:
+      fprintf(stderr, "The host key for this server was not found but an other "
+          "type of key exists.\n");
+      fprintf(stderr, "An attacker might change the default server key to "
+          "confuse your client into thinking the key does not exist\n");
+      ssh_disconnect(ssh_session);
+      ssh_finalize();
+      rc = -1;
+      goto out;
+      break;
+    case SSH_SERVER_NOT_KNOWN:
+      fprintf(stderr,"The server is unknown. Connect manually to the host "
+          "first to retrieve the public key hash\n");
+      ssh_disconnect(ssh_session);
+      ssh_finalize();
+      rc = -1;
+      goto out;
+      break;
+    case SSH_SERVER_ERROR:
+      fprintf(stderr, "%s", ssh_get_error(ssh_session));
+      ssh_disconnect(ssh_session);
+      ssh_finalize();
+      rc = -1;
+      goto out;
+      break;
+    default:
+      break;
+  }
+
+  /* authenticate with the server */
+  if (*passwd) {
+    auth = ssh_userauth_password(ssh_session, user, passwd);
+    /*
+    char username[256] = {0};
+    char password[256] = {0};
+    */
+  } else {
+    auth = ssh_userauth_autopubkey(ssh_session);
+    if (auth == SSH_AUTH_ERROR) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "Authenticating with pubkey: %s\n", ssh_get_error(ssh_session));
+      ssh_finalize();
+      rc = -1;
+      goto out;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /* FIXME: call callback */
+
+  /* start the sftp session */
+  sftp_session = sftp_new(ssh_session);
+  if (sftp_session == NULL) {
+    rc = -1;
+    goto out;
+  }
+
+  rc = sftp_init(sftp_session);
+  if (rc < 0) {
+    return rc;
+  }
+
+  connected = 1;
+  rc = 0;
+out:
+  SAFE_FREE(user);
+  SAFE_FREE(passwd);
+  SAFE_FREE(host);
+  SAFE_FREE(port);
+  SAFE_FREE(path);
+
+  return rc;
+}
+
+csync_vio_method_handle_t *mh = NULL;
+csync_vio_file_stat_t fs;
+
+/*
+ * file functions
+ */
+
+static csync_vio_method_handle_t *_open(const char *durl, int flags, mode_t mode) {
+  csync_vio_method_handle_t *mh = NULL;
+  char *user = NULL;
+  char *passwd = NULL;
+  char *host = NULL;
+  char *port = NULL;
+  char *path = NULL;
+
+  /* FIXME: implement mode with SFTP_ATTRIBUTES */
+  (void) mode;
+
+  if (_sftp_connect(durl) < 0) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  if (parse_uri(durl, &user, &passwd, &host, &port, &path) < 0) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  mh = (csync_vio_method_handle_t *) sftp_open(sftp_session, path, flags, NULL);
+
+  SAFE_FREE(user);
+  SAFE_FREE(passwd);
+  SAFE_FREE(host);
+  SAFE_FREE(port);
+  SAFE_FREE(path);
+
+  return mh;
+}
+
+static csync_vio_method_handle_t *_creat(const char *durl, mode_t mode) {
+  csync_vio_method_handle_t *mh = NULL;
+  char *user = NULL;
+  char *passwd = NULL;
+  char *host = NULL;
+  char *port = NULL;
+  char *path = NULL;
+
+  (void) mode;
+
+  if (_sftp_connect(durl) < 0) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  if (parse_uri(durl, &user, &passwd, &host, &port, &path) < 0) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  mh = (csync_vio_method_handle_t *) sftp_open(sftp_session, path, O_CREAT|O_WRONLY|O_TRUNC, NULL);
+
+  SAFE_FREE(user);
+  SAFE_FREE(passwd);
+  SAFE_FREE(host);
+  SAFE_FREE(port);
+  SAFE_FREE(path);
+
+  return mh;
+}
+
+static int _close(csync_vio_method_handle_t *fhandle) {
+  return sftp_file_close(fhandle);
+}
+
+static ssize_t _read(csync_vio_method_handle_t *fhandle, void *buf, size_t count) {
+  return sftp_read(fhandle, buf, count);
+}
+
+static ssize_t _write(csync_vio_method_handle_t *fhandle, const void *buf, size_t count) {
+  return sftp_write(fhandle, buf, count);
+}
+
+static off_t _lseek(csync_vio_method_handle_t *fhandle, off_t offset, int whence) {
+  /* FIXME: really implement seek for lseek? */
+  (void) whence;
+  sftp_seek(fhandle, offset);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/*
+ * directory functions
+ */
+
+static csync_vio_method_handle_t *_opendir(const char *durl) {
+  csync_vio_method_handle_t *mh = NULL;
+  char *user = NULL;
+  char *passwd = NULL;
+  char *host = NULL;
+  char *port = NULL;
+  char *path = NULL;
+
+  if (_sftp_connect(durl) < 0) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  if (parse_uri(durl, &user, &passwd, &host, &port, &path) < 0) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  mh = (csync_vio_method_handle_t *) sftp_opendir(sftp_session, path);
+
+  SAFE_FREE(user);
+  SAFE_FREE(passwd);
+  SAFE_FREE(host);
+  SAFE_FREE(port);
+  SAFE_FREE(path);
+
+  return mh;
+}
+
+static int _closedir(csync_vio_method_handle_t *dhandle) {
+  return sftp_dir_close(dhandle);
+}
+
+static csync_vio_file_stat_t *_readdir(csync_vio_method_handle_t *dhandle) {
+  SFTP_ATTRIBUTES *dirent = NULL;
+  csync_vio_file_stat_t *fs = NULL;
+
+  /* TODO: consider adding the _sftp_connect function */
+  dirent = sftp_readdir(sftp_session, dhandle);
+  if (dirent == NULL) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  fs = c_malloc(sizeof(csync_vio_file_stat_t));
+  if (fs == NULL) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  fs->name = c_strdup(dirent->name);
+  fs->fields = CSYNC_VIO_FILE_STAT_FIELDS_NONE;
+
+  switch (dirent->type) {
+    case SSH_FILEXFER_TYPE_REGULAR:
+      fs->fields |= CSYNC_VIO_FILE_STAT_FIELDS_TYPE;
+      fs->type = CSYNC_VIO_FILE_TYPE_REGULAR;
+      break;
+    case SSH_FILEXFER_TYPE_DIRECTORY:
+      fs->fields |= CSYNC_VIO_FILE_STAT_FIELDS_TYPE;
+      fs->type = CSYNC_VIO_FILE_TYPE_DIRECTORY;
+      break;
+    case SSH_FILEXFER_TYPE_SYMLINK:
+    case SSH_FILEXFER_TYPE_SPECIAL:
+    case SSH_FILEXFER_TYPE_UNKNOWN:
+      break;
+  }
+
+  return fs;
+}
+
+static int _mkdir(const char *uri, mode_t mode) {
+  (void) uri;
+  (void) mode;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int _rmdir(const char *uri) {
+  (void) uri;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int _stat(const char *uri, csync_vio_file_stat_t *buf) {
+  time_t now;
+
+  buf->name = c_basename(uri);
+  if (buf->name == NULL) {
+    csync_vio_file_stat_destroy(buf);
+  }
+  buf->fields = CSYNC_VIO_FILE_STAT_FIELDS_NONE;
+
+  time(&now);
+  buf->mtime = now;
+  buf->fields |= CSYNC_VIO_FILE_STAT_FIELDS_MTIME;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int _rename(const char *olduri, const char *newuri) {
+  (void) olduri;
+  (void) newuri;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int _unlink(const char *uri) {
+  (void) uri;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int _chmod(const char *uri, mode_t mode) {
+  (void) uri;
+  (void) mode;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int _chown(const char *uri, uid_t owner, gid_t group) {
+  (void) uri;
+  (void) owner;
+  (void) group;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int _utimes(const char *uri, const struct timeval *times) {
+  (void) uri;
+  (void) times;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+csync_vio_method_t _method = {
+  .method_table_size = sizeof(csync_vio_method_t),
+  .open = _open,
+  .creat = _creat,
+  .close = _close,
+  .read = _read,
+  .write = _write,
+  .lseek = _lseek,
+  .opendir = _opendir,
+  .closedir = _closedir,
+  .readdir = _readdir,
+  .mkdir = _mkdir,
+  .rmdir = _rmdir,
+  .stat = _stat,
+  .rename = _rename,
+  .unlink = _unlink,
+  .chmod = _chmod,
+  .chown = _chown,
+  .utimes = _utimes
+};
+
+csync_vio_method_t *vio_module_init(const char *method_name, const char *args, csync_auth_callback cb) {
+  DEBUG_SFTP(("csync_sftp - method_name: %s\n", method_name));
+  DEBUG_SFTP(("csync_sftp - args: %s\n", args));
+
+  (void) method_name;
+  (void) args;
+
+  return &_method;
+}
+
+void vio_module_shutdown(csync_vio_method_t *method) {
+  (void) method;
+}
+