When browsing the net, when using connected equipment, we can suffer many types of attacks that in one way or another can compromise us. We are constantly exposed and therefore it is important to know the risks that may affect us. In this article we are going to talk about port scan attacks . We are going to explain what they are and what we can do to avoid being victims.
What are port scan attacks
This type of attack is also known as a port scan . Basically what an attacker does is automatically scan all the ports of a computer, such as a computer, that is connected to the network. What they are looking for is to detect possible open ports and which could have poor security protocols.
Once they obtain all the possible information, they could detect possible security holes and thus carry out their attacks. They could obtain sensitive information from users, know information about the operating system of that computer, etc.
This can be a very important entry point for hackers. As we say, once they are inside the network, from that computer, they could steal information, have access to passwords and, ultimately, compromise our privacy.
Cybercriminals can use different tools to detect these vulnerabilities. They are also known as network analyzers. An example can be TCPing, which is run from the Windows command line. But there are also other more sophisticated tools like Nmap or Zenmap.
Keep in mind that there are 65,535 TCP / IP ports. Each of them can fulfill a different function. Also, as we know, many of them can be open. With a port scan, an attacker can find out which ports are open and if there might be any vulnerabilities to exploit. This can be determined automatically, analyzing each port one by one.
How to avoid port scan attacks
We have seen what port scan attacks are. Now we are going to explain some actions that we can take to avoid this problem. As always, we have different options to prevent hackers from accessing our network and putting security at risk.
Do not open more ports than necessary
One of the best barriers we can use is not to open more ports than are really necessary. It would be a mistake to open a large number of ports that we are not really going to need at any time.
Generally, by default, ports are open that are essential for the proper functioning of the network and to use certain tools. We can also open many others that are sometimes necessary. However, the main advice is not to have more than the essentials open. Thus we greatly reduce the problem.
Use tools to check open ports
Now, sometimes we don’t really know which ports we have open and therefore we don’t know the real problem. Luckily we can make use of many tools that allow us to perform an analysis and check which ports we have open.
We have named some like Nmap or Zenmap , but there are many more. The mission is to scan, make a trace, all the ports to determine which are open and therefore could be a threat to our security.
Use firewall
Yet another option is to use firewalls . It allows us to prevent the entry of intruders to the network, since they act as a barrier. This is very useful to always maintain the security of the computers and not allow them to take advantage of any open ports that may exist.
There are also intrusion detection systems that we can configure to detect and block dangerous connection attempts and requests.
Keep teams always up to date
Of course something that cannot be missing is to always have the systems and equipment updated . The router firmware, for example, must always be with the latest version and patch possible vulnerabilities that exist.
There are many security flaws that may exist and that could be used by hackers to carry out their attacks. We always need to have all the patches and updates that are available to correct these problems.
Ultimately, port scan attacks can compromise network security. We must take precautionary measures not to expose our data.