Port 22SFTP

SFTP transfers files through an encrypted SSH connection, normally on TCP port 22.

transport: tcp
in transit: encrypted
assignment: official
risk: 7/10
lookups: 0

1 other service is registered on port 22. compare all 2 →

Technical Details

what runs on :22

SFTP is the SSH File Transfer Protocol and runs as an SSH subsystem over TCP. The connection begins with the SSH version exchange, followed by SSH key exchange, host-key verification, encryption negotiation, and user authentication; the client then requests the SFTP subsystem. SFTP uses length-prefixed binary packets within the SSH channel, commonly protocol version 3 in OpenSSH deployments. SCP and interactive SSH shell sessions commonly share the same TCP port.

Security Information

exposure of :22

risk score

7/ 10risk

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

file transfer averages 4.1 across 115 ports — this one sits 2.9 above.

in transit

encrypted

payloads are protected on the wire

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

Traffic is encrypted by default when SFTP is used through SSH, but exposed servers remain targets for password guessing, stolen credentials, weak host-key or cipher configurations, and SSH implementation vulnerabilities. Internet exposure should generally be limited to required source networks, with strong authentication, account restrictions, patching, and preferably public-key or equivalent multifactor authentication.

Record

iana registry entry

port: :22
service: SFTP
transport: TCP
encryption: tls / encrypted
assignment: iana registered
risk: 7/10risk
category: File Transfer Remote Access
usage: SFTP clients connect to an SSH server, normally on TCP port 22, and request the SFTP subsystem. It is commonly used for authenticated file exchange and administration instead of legacy FTP.
lookups: 0rank 994
added: 2026-08-19
updated: 2026-08-19
references: IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry
RFC 4253: The Secure Shell (SSH) Transport Layer Protocol
RFC 4254: The Secure Shell (SSH) Connection Protocol

Something wrong?

This record is maintained by the engineers who use port 22. 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 2026-08-19.

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Related Ports

all 115 in file transfer →

the 8 most looked-up other ports in file transfer — 115 ports carry that label.

port	service	proto	category	risk	views
:9080	Groove RPC	TCPUDP	Web Services	caution	70.8k
:17500	Dropbox LAN Sync	TCPUDP	File Transfer	caution	43.7k
:548	Apple Filing Protocol	TCP	File Transfer	caution	36.8k
:7000	Vuze HTTPS Tracker	TCPtls	Security	caution	28.9k
:1337	PowerFolder P2P	TCP	Security	caution	27.1k
:9001	SharePoint Authoring		Web Services	caution	26.3k
:8080	FilePhile Relay	UDP	File Transfer	caution	25.6k
:1337	WASTE Encrypted Sharing	TCP	Security	caution	22.9k

risk mix of the 8 listed

caution100%

1 of 8 encrypted

Port :22SFTP

Technical Details

Security Information

Related Ports

Port 22SFTP