Port 1863Microsoft Notification Protocol
Port 1863 is primarily used by the Microsoft Notification Protocol (MSNP), which underpins the connectivity for Microsoft’s instant messaging clients such as MSN Messenger and legacy .NET Messenger services. This protocol facilitates presence information, instant messaging, and notification delivery to users on these platforms..
- transport
- tcp
- in transit
- cleartext
- assignment
- official
- risk
- 4/10
- lookups
- 15,934
single transport
payload readable on path
registered with iana
caution
rank 187 of 993 · top 19%
Technical Details
what runs on :1863The Microsoft Notification Protocol (MSNP) is a proprietary protocol developed by Microsoft to enable communication between Messenger clients and Microsoft's servers. It manages user authentication, presence status updates, message exchange, and notifications related to contacts, such as online/offline status changes. Initially designed for MSN Messenger, MSNP underwent multiple iterations (MSNP2 through MSNP21) featuring enhancements in security and performance.
MSNP operates predominantly over TCP port 1863, initiating and maintaining persistent connections to facilitate real-time message delivery. It uses a text-based command syntax similar to HTTP for command and response exchanges, easing parsing and development. Payloads for messages and notifications are encapsulated within these commands, enabling flexible and extensible communication.
Over time, this protocol was supplemented or replaced by more modern solutions integrated into Microsoft’s messaging infrastructure, transitioning eventually to Skype and Microsoft Teams, which leverage different services. However, remnants of MSNP usage might still be found in legacy systems or deprecated services relying on compatibility layers.
Security Information
exposure of :1863risk score
4/ 10caution
worth attention. how exposed you are depends on configuration — don't leave it reachable from the internet without a reason.
voice and chat averages 3.9 across 120 ports — this one sits 0.1 above.
in transit
cleartext
credentials and payloads are readable by anyone on path
assignment
official
registered with iana for this service — scanners fingerprint it by number
reachable over
tcp
every listening transport is another surface to filter at the edge
security overview
Common Vulnerabilities:
- Exploitation of unencrypted communication channels due to lack of built-in encryption, leading to interception or man-in-the-middle attacks.
- Potential for buffer overflow vulnerabilities in poorly implemented client or server software parsing MSNP commands.
- Abuse for spamming and phishing attacks via unsolicited instant messages through exposed services.
Common Mitigations:
- Disable this port externally unless the legacy MSN/.NET Messenger services are in active use.
- Implement strict firewall rules to limit inbound and outbound traffic on port 1863.
- Use network monitoring to detect unauthorized or anomalous activity over this port.
- Transition to modern, encrypted messaging platforms that enforce strong authentication and secure transport.
- Keep any client software fully updated and patched to reduce parsing-related vulnerabilities.
Related Ports
the 8 most looked-up other ports in voice and chat — 120 ports carry that label.
| port | service | risk | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :9090 | Openfire Admin Console | TCP | Web Services | caution | 34.2k |
| :1513 | Garena Gaming | TCPUDP | Gaming | caution | 33.1k |
| :9091 | Openfire Admin Console (SSL) | TCPtls | Web Services | caution | 28.3k |
| :2031 | Mobrien Chat | TCPUDP | Web Services | caution | 27.7k |
| :1720 | H.323 Signaling | TCP | Network Services | caution | 26.5k |
| :6005 | Camfrog Chat | TCP | Voice and Chat | caution | 25.2k |
| :3001 | Miralix Phone Monitor | TCP | Network Services | caution | 21.7k |
| :9009 | Pichat Server | TCPUDP | Network Services | caution | 19.7k |
risk mix of the 8 listed
- caution100%
1 of 8 encrypted