Port 218Message Posting Protocol
The Message Posting Protocol (MPP) operates on port 218 and facilitates the transfer and management of message posts across networked systems. It provides a mechanism for clients and servers to communicate by supporting both TCP and UDP transport. Widely referenced in official port documentation, it serves specific messaging-centric applications in distributed environments..
- transport
- tcp · udp
- in transit
- cleartext
- assignment
- official
- risk
- 4/10
- lookups
- 7,379
2 transports registered
payload readable on path
registered with iana
caution
rank 693 of 993 · top 70%
Technical Details
what runs on :218Message Posting Protocol (MPP) is designed to enable systems to post, transfer, and update messages across network nodes. MPP supports both connection-oriented (TCP) and connectionless (UDP) transports, providing flexibility depending on the requirements of reliability or speed.
MPP facilitates various functions such as message creation, retrieval, deletion, and management. It may operate similarly to basic networked messaging services by structuring message envelopes, addressing, and sequencing to ensure orderly communication between multiple clients and servers.
Although not widely utilized in mainstream modern messaging, MPP's standardized port assignment persists for compatibility with legacy systems and specialized applications. Its simplicity allows integration within lightweight or custom communication frameworks where structured message exchange is necessary.
Security Information
exposure of :218risk score
4/ 10caution
worth attention. how exposed you are depends on configuration — don't leave it reachable from the internet without a reason.
network services averages 3.9 across 604 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 · udp
udp is connectionless — source addresses are trivially spoofed and it is a reflection favourite
security overview
Common vulnerabilities associated with MPP arise from its lack of encryption by default, potentially allowing interception and unauthorized reading or modification of messages in transit. If input validation is insufficient, it may be susceptible to injection attacks or buffer overflows, depending on server implementation.
Mitigations should include deploying MPP behind secure network boundaries, such as firewalls or VPNs. When possible, tunnel communications within encrypted channels (TLS/SSL) to protect data confidentiality. Regularly updating software and applying input validation and authentication controls significantly reduce risks from exploitation.
Related Ports
the 8 most looked-up other ports in network services — 604 ports carry that label.
| port | service | risk | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :9080 | Groove RPC | TCPUDP | Web Services | caution | 70.8k |
| :6543 | Jetnet | UDP | Network Services | caution | 65.3k |
| :5938 | TeamViewer | TCPUDP | Remote Access | caution | 65.0k |
| :8291 | Winbox MikroTik Admin | TCP | Security | caution | 62.9k |
| :3233 | WhiskerControl Protocol | TCPUDP | Network Services | caution | 61.9k |
| :3268 | Microsoft Global Catalog (GC) | TCPUDP | Security | caution | 54.6k |
| :135 | Microsoft EPMAP | TCPUDP | Security | caution | 51.9k |
| :3128 | Tatsoft Default HTTP Proxy | TCP | Web Services | caution | 46.8k |
risk mix of the 8 listed
- caution100%
0 of 8 encrypted