Port scanning e port checking These are words that might mean little to less experienced users. But they simply reveal themselves essential to protect your device and your personal information.
Wanting to simplify, it is possible to say that when the device transmits information online, use a porta Internet. And sometimes the same Internet port is used by different programs and services.
Unfortunately, exactly them internet door they are sometimes used as a means to perform techniques hacking. For example, there are apps capable of observe everything that passes for a door.
This assumption generates several cybersecurity risks: starting from involuntary sharing of information private. Until you get to the risk of run into malware of various kinds.
To execute port scanning e port checking allows you to monitor every Internet port of your device. And to view all the processes that use them.
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1. What is an Internet port
Before going into the merits of port scanning and port checking it is certainly useful to understand better how an internet port works. We will start by remembering the value of the IP: that is, that address that identifies a device within a network.
The IP address is used for route traffic in the appropriate places: for example, apps or services. And to carry out this operation Internet ports are used.
When it comes to porta Internet reference is made to a software construct thanks to which a device transmits packets through the network.
The problems of IT security begin at the moment you determine app I am presetto observe the traffic that passes through an Internet port.
It is important to underline that the itselfporta Internet can be used for send data to different destinations. Therefore the user risks sharing a whole series of information that perhaps he would prefer to keep to himself.
Hence the importance of portscanningin some cases known as port checking: an operation thanks to which it is possible scan Internet ports of a device. With the purpose of understand if there are apps or programs which I am listening on a door.
This way it is possible defend yourself in advance from monitoring unwanted, but not only. In fact, sometimes listening to an Internet port is the first step of a hacking operation much more serious.
If in the hands of hacker Even the doors are dangerous and they can generate not only the theft of personal information. But also the installation of virus o di malware inside the targeted device.
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2. How to port scan on Windows
There are several paths to follow carry out port scanning or port checking on your device. The procedure varies depending on the operating system in use, but there are also other aspects to keep in mind.
For example, you can browse through each active Internet port, looking at the process names who use them. But it is also possible to list each Internet port, associating it with the process identification number in question.
To do port scanning on Windows viewing the names of the processes you need to open the ready to command. Remembering to activate it in administrator mode.
To do that, that’s enough type the word “command” inside the Windows search bar and then move the mouse cursor over the entry named Command Prompt. At this point we have to do it right click and select the item named Run as administrator.
Inside the Windows command prompt you need to to type as follows: “netstat -ab”. After sending the device will start showing the list of Internet ports. The operation may take a few minutes.
Each Internet port is listed after thelocal IP address and colon. Il name of the processes who use it is displayed in the bottom text line instead. All results can be redirected from the command prompt to a external text file.
Also to view the list of Internet ports along with the process identifiers you need to go through the command prompt and run in administrator mode.
In this case the command to insert is the following: “netstat -aon”. Process identifiers are indicated with theacronimo PID. And they are visible in the column located on the far right of the screen.
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3. How to port scan on macOS
The holders of Apple devices instead they must go through the pre-installed program Utility Disco to carry out the port scanning o port checking. Disk Utility is located all’interno del Launchpadwhich can be accessed directly from app bar positioned in thelower area of the screen Mac desktop. From here you need to open the folder named Other.
Alternatively it is possible to carry out a search withSpotlightdirectly entering the keyword “Utilities”. Port scanning and port checking functions may not be available depending on theupdate of the operating system macOS in use. In this case it is possible use the Terminal app. Sort of like Apple’s equivalent of the Windows command prompt.
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4. How to carry out port scanning with dedicated software
Users uninterested in learning how give commands to the devicesthey can still carry out the port scanning and the port checking. To do this simply use one dedicated tooldeveloped by third parts. And from this point of view there are many solutions available for main operating systems.
CurrPortsat NirSoft is an excellent alternative available to Windows users. You have to be careful between the 32 and 64 bit versions, but after that the process to follow is quite simple. CurrPorts automatically creates a column where it inserts each Internet port on the device. Once the port is selected you can see both the name of the processes who use it, is theirs identifier. Simple Port Scanner di MapleTech it is instead available within theApp Store ApplAnd. Also in this case it is a software expressly dedicated to port scanning e port checking. A quick and effective system to understand which ones in time doors are dangerous.