What Is Connection Port?
Connection Port Definition
Short definition: A connection port (computer port) is a virtual port that is created to serve vritual network connections in the sense of being their beginning and end. A port is managed by the computer’s OS (operating system).
Extended Definition:
Connection ports have been used for a long time in the industry and their main goal is to make connections happen by being their start and end. In cybersecurity, connection ports or computer ports are used mainly to infect computers as a virus often finds a vulnerability that grants it access to an open (unsecured) connection port, which allows it to perform a successful infection.
In theory, different ports are used to serve as different virtual layers and connection protocols in computing, like shown below:
Ports 20 and 21: FTP or File Transfer Protocol.
Port 22: SSH or Secure Shell
Port 25: SMTP or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.
Port 53: DNS or Domain Name System (DNS).
Port 80: HTTP or Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
Port 123: NTP or Network Time Protocol (NTP).
Port 179: BGP or Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).
Port 443: HTTPS or HTTP Secure.
Port 500: ISAKMP or Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol
Port 3389: RDP or Remote Desktop Protocol.
For more definitions, check our Cyber Dictionary.