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Port 10017rexd Daemon Control

Port 10017 has historically been associated with the 'rexd' remote execution daemon service, notably present on UNIX variants like AIX, NeXT, and HP-UX systems. This service enables the execution of commands on remote hosts, facilitating remote administration and automation. As a control port, it may manage or trigger functions related to remote code execution, although in modern systems, its use is rare and largely deprecated due to security concerns..

inRemote AccessNetwork ServicesSystem
transport
unknown

single transport

in transit
cleartext

payload readable on path

assignment
unofficial

used by convention

risk
4/10

caution

lookups
8,310

rank 601 of 993 · top 60%

Technical Details

what runs on :10017

The rexd (Remote Execution Daemon) is a legacy UNIX service primarily designed to permit command execution on a remote UNIX system. Originally, it facilitated remote job automation, enabling users to remotely initiate shell commands or scripts seamlessly across UNIX variants such as IBM AIX, NeXTSTEP, and HP-UX. This daemon operates using ONC RPC (Open Network Computing Remote Procedure Call) mechanisms to process remote requests.

Historically, rexd functioned by listening for incoming RPC requests, authenticating users, and spawning shells or executing specific commands as requested. The control port, such as 10017, was used within certain implementations or extended configurations of these UNIX platforms to manage service startup or provide privileged access for rexd operations. Communication protocols vary, but in many cases rexd would leverage dynamically assigned ports, with specific control functions bound to static ports like 10017.

Over time, reliance on rexd diminished due to its limited security capabilities and the availability of better alternatives like SSH. Most modern operating systems either disable rexd by default or have completely phased it out. Still, on segmented legacy networks, these ports may remain open or responsive, maintaining backward compatibility with older administrative tools.

Security Information

exposure of :10017

risk score

4/ 10caution

worth attention. how exposed you are depends on configuration — don't leave it reachable from the internet without a reason.

remote access averages 4.0 across 110 ports — this one sits level with it.

in transit

cleartext

credentials and payloads are readable by anyone on path

assignment

unofficial

used by convention, not registered — what answers here varies by deployment

reachable over

unknown

every listening transport is another surface to filter at the edge

security overview

Because the rexd service offers command execution capabilities remotely, it has historically been associated with significant security risks:

  • Common vulnerabilities:

    • Lack of strong authentication methods, often depending solely on .rhosts or weak host-based trust models
    • Transmission of data in plain text, susceptible to interception
    • Potential to execute arbitrary commands if misconfigured or compromised
    • Susceptibility to spoofing attacks, where an attacker impersonates a trusted host

  • Mitigations:

    • Disable the rexd service entirely unless absolutely necessary
    • Employ proper network segmentation and firewall rules to restrict access to the port
    • Replace rexd functionality with secure alternatives like SSH, which provide encrypted communication and stronger authentication
    • Enable logging and intrusion detection systems to monitor unusual remote execution attempts
    • Harden host security by limiting the use of trust files like .rhosts and requiring authenticated access where possible

Related Ports

all 110 in remote access →

the 8 most looked-up other ports in remote access — 110 ports carry that label.

portservicerisk
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:5938TeamViewercaution
:8291Winbox MikroTik Admincaution
:8008IBM HTTP Server Admincaution
:135Microsoft EPMAPcaution
:23Telnetcaution

risk mix of the 8 listed

  • safe13%
  • caution88%

0 of 8 encrypted