Port 2159GDB Remote Debug Port

GDB Remote Debug Port for debugger-to-target connections.

transport: tcp · udp
in transit: cleartext
assignment: official
risk: 8/10
lookups: 0

also known as GDB remote debugging

Technical Details

what runs on :2159

The service uses the GDB Remote Serial Protocol, usually carried over a TCP connection between GDB and gdbserver or another remote target stub. Packets are framed as $payload#checksum, with acknowledgements and capability negotiation such as qSupported; subsequent packets read and write registers or memory, control execution, and report stop events. The IANA registration includes UDP, but ordinary GDB remote debugging uses TCP, serial links, or other explicitly configured transports; the port number is not a requirement of every GDB deployment.

Security Information

exposure of :2159

risk score

8/ 10risk

treat as sensitive. widely scanned and regularly exploited when reachable — restrict it to known sources.

remote access averages 3.8 across 217 ports — this one sits 4.2 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 · udp

udp is connectionless — source addresses are trivially spoofed and it is a reflection favourite

security overview

A remotely reachable GDB stub is a powerful control interface, typically without encryption or meaningful authentication. A client that can connect may inspect or modify process memory and registers and control execution, so this port should be restricted to a trusted management or development network and protected with firewall rules or a secure tunnel rather than exposed to the Internet.

Record

iana registry entry

port: :2159
service: GDB Remote Debug Port
transport: TCPUDP
encryption: cleartext
assignment: iana registered
risk: 8/10risk
category: Remote Access System
usage: This port is used by GNU GDB and gdbserver for remote debugging of processes, embedded systems, and other targets. It is commonly selected explicitly by the operator rather than being a universal gdbserver default, and is normally encountered over TCP.
lookups: 0rank 993
added: 2026-09-20
updated: 2026-09-22
references: IANA service name registry — port 2159

Something wrong?

This record is maintained by the engineers who use port 2159. Every field on it is editable — change what's wrong, say how you know, and a reviewer publishes it, usually within a minute. Last touched 2026-09-22.

01edit any field on a page of its own
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edit this record →back to the registry

Related Ports

all 217 in remote access →

the 8 most looked-up other ports in remote access — 217 ports carry that label.

port	service	proto	category	risk	views
:8000	Intel Remote Desktop / Alternate HTTP Port	TCP	Web Services	safe	84.3k
:8888	D2GS Admin Console	TCP	Remote Access	caution	83.7k
:8881	Atlasz Secure Server	TCP	Web Services	caution	67.6k
:5938	TeamViewer	TCPUDP	Remote Access	caution	65.0k
:8291	Winbox MikroTik Admin	TCP	Security	caution	62.9k
:8008	IBM HTTP Server Admin	TCP	Web Services	caution	58.3k
:135	Microsoft EPMAP	TCPUDP	Security	caution	51.9k
:23	Telnet	TCP	Remote Access	caution	34.8k

risk mix of the 8 listed

safe13%
caution88%

0 of 8 encrypted

Port :2159GDB Remote Debug Port

Technical Details

Security Information

Related Ports

Port 2159GDB Remote Debug Port