Port 1026Microsoft DCOM
TCP port 1026 is frequently associated with Microsoft Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) services. DCOM enables software components to communicate over a network, facilitating distributed computing on Windows environments. This port is notorious for being targeted by malware and pop-up spam, especially when RPC services listen on this port..
- transport
- tcp
- in transit
- cleartext
- assignment
- unofficial
- risk
- 4/10
- lookups
- 10,910
single transport
payload readable on path
used by convention
caution
rank 394 of 993 · top 40%
Technical Details
what runs on :1026Port 1026 mainly supports the Microsoft Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM), a crucial technology that allows seamless communication between software components distributed across networked systems. DCOM is built on top of the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) protocol, enabling programs to invoke methods on remote objects as if they were local, thus facilitating distributed computing in enterprise Windows environments.
During initial connections, the RPC Endpoint Mapper (typically on port 135) assigns dynamic ports between 1024 and 65535, including 1026, for follow-up traffic. As such, port 1026 itself is not a fixed DCOM port but a common target due to dynamic allocations or legacy configurations, making it frequently visible during network scans involving Windows RPC or DCOM services.
Because this port is often dynamically assigned, it can also appear in conjunction with Windows Messenger services in older Windows versions, historically making it a vector for unsolicited messenger pop-ups and spam before the service's deprecation and stricter firewall deployments.
Security Information
exposure of :1026risk score
4/ 10caution
worth attention. how exposed you are depends on configuration — don't leave it reachable from the internet without a reason.
security averages 3.8 across 216 ports — this one sits 0.2 above.
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
tcp
every listening transport is another surface to filter at the edge
security overview
Common Vulnerabilities:
- Exploitation of unfiltered RPC/DCOM services via port 1026 can allow remote code execution or system compromise.
- Propagation of malware, worms such as Blaster, that exploit RPC vulnerabilities.
- Abuse by spam or adware leveraging Windows Messenger Service to send unsolicited messages.
- Exposure of sensitive system services that reveal information to attackers.
Mitigations:
- Restrict inbound traffic on port 1026 via host-based or network firewalls unless explicitly required.
- Apply the latest security patches from Microsoft, particularly those addressing RPC and DCOM vulnerabilities.
- Disable deprecated or unnecessary services like Windows Messenger.
- Employ network segmentation, limiting exposure of internal RPC services to trusted zones.
- Monitor network traffic for abnormal activity targeting port 1026.
- Enable RPC Security features such as authentication and encryption in enterprise setups.
Related Ports
the 8 most looked-up other ports in security — 216 ports carry that label.
| port | service | risk | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :8881 | Atlasz Secure Server | TCP | Web Services | caution | 67.6k |
| :443 | HTTPS | TCPtls | Web Services | caution | 65.9k |
| :8291 | Winbox MikroTik Admin | TCP | Security | caution | 62.9k |
| :3268 | Microsoft Global Catalog (GC) | TCPUDP | Security | caution | 54.6k |
| :135 | Microsoft EPMAP | TCPUDP | Security | caution | 51.9k |
| :3128 | Squid Proxy HTTP | TCP | Web Services | caution | 45.8k |
| :8080 | HTTP Alternate | TCPtls | Web Services | caution | 44.9k |
| :7000 | Vuze HTTPS Tracker | TCPtls | Security | caution | 28.9k |
risk mix of the 8 listed
- caution100%
3 of 8 encrypted