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Port 22SSH

<p><strong>Secure Shell (SSH)</strong> is a widely-used network protocol designed to provide secure access and communication with remote systems over an unsecured network. It encrypts login credentials, command execution, file transfers, and tunneling capabilities, making it a fundamental tool for system administrators and developers to securely manage servers and devices.</p>.

inSecurityRemote AccessNetwork Services
transport
tcp · udp

2 transports registered

in transit
encrypted

payload protected on the wire

assignment
official

registered with iana

risk
4/10

caution

lookups
20,349

rank 122 of 993 · top 12%

Technical Details

what runs on :22

SSH (Secure Shell) is a cryptographic network protocol enabling secure communication between a client and a remote server. It was developed as a secure replacement for older, insecure protocols such as Telnet and rlogin. Through the use of strong encryption algorithms and key-based authentication, SSH ensures confidentiality and data integrity during sessions.

At its core, SSH operates over the application layer using TCP port 22 by default. The protocol initiates with a handshake where the server presents its public host key, which the client verifies to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. Upon successful verification, both sides negotiate encryption and compression algorithms, establishing a secure channel.

SSH supports a range of functionalities including remote command execution, secure file transfer protocols (such as SCP and SFTP), forwarding of network ports (tunneling), and multiplexing multiple encrypted channels over a single connection. These capabilities facilitate secure system administration, automation, backups, and development workflows, especially in UNIX/Linux environments, routers, and cloud infrastructure.

Security Information

exposure of :22

risk 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

encrypted

payloads are protected on the wire

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:

  • Weak or default credentials: Attackers exploit default or easily guessable passwords to gain unauthorized access.
  • Unrestricted access: Open SSH ports can be targeted for brute-force or credential stuffing attacks.
  • Outdated SSH server versions: Older versions may have vulnerabilities such as information leakage or susceptibility to downgrade attacks.
  • Poorly managed host keys: Unverified or reused host keys can enable man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.
  • Improper tunneling controls: SSH tunneling may be abused to bypass network policies or exfiltrate data.

Common Mitigations:

  • Use strong, unique passwords combined with multi-factor authentication (MFA) or SSH key-based authentication to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Restrict SSH access to specific IP addresses or networks through firewalls and security groups.
  • Change the default SSH port or implement port-knocking to reduce automated scanning attacks.
  • Disable root login and enforce the principle of least privilege on SSH users.
  • Maintain updated SSH server software with the latest security patches.
  • Use intrusion detection tools and monitor SSH logs for abnormal activity.
  • Enforce strong encryption algorithms and disable insecure options like SSH version 1.

Related Ports

all 216 in security →

the 8 most looked-up other ports in security — 216 ports carry that label.

portservicerisk
:8881Atlasz Secure Servercaution
:443HTTPScaution
:8291Winbox MikroTik Admincaution
:3268Microsoft Global Catalog (GC)caution
:135Microsoft EPMAPcaution
:3128Squid Proxy HTTPcaution
:8080HTTP Alternatecaution
:7000Vuze HTTPS Trackercaution

risk mix of the 8 listed

  • caution100%

3 of 8 encrypted