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My name is Valentina. but hey, just call me Vally, which means strength. I am the Powerhouse behind Cyvally. Vally is a rising cybersecurity professional and a content creator, I write to make cybersecurity and cloud topics understandable and interesting to you (after all, who likes boring?).
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My first time boarding the yellow buses in Lagos State wasn't a funny one. I took a bus from Lekki Phase 1 to Ajah. As a Yoruba girl who had stayed in Port Harcourt and was just arriving in Lagos, my first instinct wasn't to use the popular "owa" to indicate that I wanted to get off. Using the word "highlight" wasn't an option either, as Twitter stories had taught me that people might look at me strangely. So, I used the usual "dropping" word, as I was used to in Port Harcourt, and the drivers there clearly understood. Ladies and gentlemen, the driver carried me past my destination. The other passengers told me I should have used "owa" and mentioned the exact destination. Trust me, I have learned my lesson.
In this story, "ports" are like bus stops, specific locations where you need to signal your intention to stop. Just as different bus stops have specific names ("Lekki Phase 1," "Ajah"), ports have specific numbers (like 80, and 21). The "protocols" are the methods of communication, how you signal to the driver. In Port Harcourt, I used "dropping," similar to how protocols like HTTP or FTP have specific ways to communicate. In Lagos, the expected protocol was "owa + exact destination," just as HTTP and FTP, respectively.
What's your own way of communicating with conductors or drivers to stop you at your destination?
In this post, we will look into what Ports and Protocols are, the Purposes of common ports and their Encrypted Alternatives
Let's Get Right Into It!!!
What are Ports/ Port Numbers?
A port, often known as a port number, is a number allocated to identify a connection endpoint and route data to a service. Ports guarantee that when data arrives on a device, it is sent to the right service/protocol.
Port numbers range from 0 to 65535, with 0-1023 being well-known.
What are Protocols?
A protocol is a way for computers or devices connected to a network to communicate with one another. It outlines the rules or procedures for transmitting data.
Simply put, they are the common language that computers speak.
Now, let's go through common port numbers, protocols, and their encrypted/ secure alternatives.
| Port Number | Protocol | Protocol Type | Purpose | Secure Alternative Port Number | Secure Alternative Protocol |
| Port 20/21 | FTP (File Transfer Protocol) | TCP | Transfer files between client and server(where port 20 is for data connection, and port 21 is used for control connection) | Port 989/990 | FTPS(FileFile Transfer Protocol Secure) |
| Port 23 | Telnet | TCP | Remote login and command execution | Port 22 | SSH(Secure Shell) |
| Port 25 | SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) | TCP | Sending emails | Port 465 | SMTPS (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Secure) |
| Port 53 | DNS (Domain Name System) | TCP/UDP | Resolve domain names to IP addresses | DoH- Port 443 DoT- Port 853 | DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DNS over TLS (DoT) |
| Port 67/68 | DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) | UDP | Assign IP addresses to devices on a network | N/A | N/A |
| Port 69 | TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) | UDP | Simple, unsecure file transfers | N/A | N/A |
| Port 80 | HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) | TCP | Transmitting web pages on the internet | Port 443 | HTTPS(Hypertext transfer protocol secure) |
| Port 110 | POP3 (Post Office Protocol) | TCP | Retrieve and manage emails from a mail server | Port 995 | POP3S(Post Office Protocol version 3)/ POP3 over TLS |
| Port 123 | NTP (Network Time Protocol) | UDP | Synchronize clocks over a network | N/A | N/A |
| Port 137 | NetBIOS Name Service | UDP | Name resolution in a LAN | N/A | N/A |
| Port 143 | IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) | TCP | Retrieve and manage emails from a mail server | Port 993 | IMAPS |
| Port 161/162 | SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) | UDP | Network management and monitoring | Port 161/162 | SNMPv3 (it uses its encryption methods) |
| Port 389 | LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) | TCP/UDP | Directory services | Port 636 | LDAPS |
| Port 445 | SMB (Server Message Block) | TCP | File and printer sharing | Varies | SMB over SSL/TLS |
| Port 514 | Syslog | UDP | System logging | Port 6514 | Syslog over TLS |
| Port 3306 | MySQL | TCP | Database services | Uses the same port | MySQL over SSL/TLS |
| Port 3389 | RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) | TCP | Remote desktop access, where it provides a user with a graphical interface to connect to another computer over a network. | Uses the same port | RDP over SSL/TLS |
| Port 5060 | SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) | TCP/UDP | Voice over IP (VoIP) | Port 5061 | SIPS |
Conclusions
Knowing the ports and protocols in your networks is one of the first steps in identifying potential vulnerabilities and understanding how to secure your systems.
If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable.
~Seneca the Younger
To reach a port, we must sail - sail, not tie at anchor - sail, not drift.
~Franklin D. Roosevelt
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