Thread: importance of port number

  1. #1
    Registered User
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    importance of port number

    what i would like to know is how important is the port number. as sniffers are written considering the port numbers, will hiding the port number amount to a considerable increase in security of transmission.
    thanx.
    even a fish would not have been in danger had it kept its mouth shut.

  2. #2
    'AlHamdulillah
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    It wont do a thing. Sniffers are not based off of port numbers(atleast the good ones), but upon the idea of reading in ALL packets off the network by setting the network adapter into promiscuous mode. What it then does is read in all the packets it can see on its local network, and then the sniffer, through different template files etc. , pulls off the headers and parses them to decide which protocol/program was used in the sending of the packet. It then will either display the captured frames(another name for packets), or... I gather you know the rest.

    There are ways to detect adapters in your local network that are running in promiscuous mode, I suggest the following:

    www.google.com


    Now granted, that will only help you find people that are using sniffers in some cases, but will not actually increase the security of your transmission, that is why encryption exists...
    Last edited by EvBladeRunnervE; 06-03-2004 at 10:03 AM.

  3. #3
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    ok i was wrong about port numbers being used in sniffers, but the question still remains unanswered. will hiding port numbers effect in increase in the security of transmission.
    i CAN hide port numbers. so dont worry about that. all i want is will it increase security.
    thanx.
    even a fish would not have been in danger had it kept its mouth shut.

  4. #4
    End Of Line Hammer's Avatar
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    >>all i want is will it increase security.
    I can't see how it would.
    When all else fails, read the instructions.
    If you're posting code, use code tags: [code] /* insert code here */ [/code]

  5. #5
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    How do you hide a port number? o.O Explain?

    Sorry if i'm being a huge newbie ^^;; I'm just interested in this network stuff
    OS: Windows XP Pro CE
    IDE: VS .NET 2002
    Preferred Language: C++.

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