Port 3690Subversion (SVN)

Port 3690 is primarily used by the Subversion (SVN) version control system for its custom protocol communication between Subversion clients and servers. SVN enables collaborative management of source code and documents, allowing multiple users to track changes, revert to previous states, and manage project versioning efficiently over a network connection..

transport
tcp · udp

2 transports registered

in transit
cleartext

payload readable on path

assignment
official

registered with iana

risk
4/10

caution

lookups
5,402

rank 883 of 993 · top 89%

Technical Details

what runs on :3690

Subversion is an open-source centralized version control system designed to track files and directories, as well as their changes over time. Operating over port 3690, it uses a custom protocol (svnserve) optimized for efficient server-client communication outside of HTTP. The protocol supports repository browsing, commit, update, checkout, and branch management operations.

SVN can also be accessed via other protocols such as HTTP/HTTPS (using WebDAV with Apache), or via SSH for encrypted transport, but direct svnserve usually communicates plaintext over port 3690 unless tunneled. This direct method is generally faster due to reduced overhead but lacks built-in encryption.

SVN's architecture revolves around a central repository stored on the server, with clients synchronizing local working copies. The simplicity of the network protocol via port 3690 is part of SVN’s lightweight design, facilitating version control even on limited or legacy networks, making it popular for both small teams and large enterprises before distributed systems like Git gained momentum.

Security Information

exposure of :3690

risk score

4/ 10caution

worth attention. how exposed you are depends on configuration — don't leave it reachable from the internet without a reason.

file transfer averages 4.1 across 114 ports — this one sits 0.1 below.

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:

  • Cleartext Transmission: By default, svnserve over port 3690 does not encrypt data, exposing sensitive code and credentials to packet sniffing and man-in-the-middle attacks.
  • Weak Authentication: If configured without strong access controls or password policies, unauthorized users may gain access to confidential repositories.
  • Exploitable Server Bugs: Historical server vulnerabilities, such as buffer overflows or improper permissions handling, can be leveraged for remote code execution or unauthorized access.

Common Mitigations:

  • Tunnel SVN traffic over SSH or SSL to ensure encrypted communication and mitigate eavesdropping.
  • Apply strict repository access controls, using strong passwords and limiting user permissions based on roles.
  • Keep the Subversion server software updated to patch known vulnerabilities.
  • Restrict port 3690 access using firewalls or VPNs, limiting exposure to only trusted client networks.
  • Monitor access logs and enable intrusion detection to identify suspicious activities early.

the 8 most looked-up other ports in file transfer — 114 ports carry that label.

risk mix of the 8 listed

  • caution100%

1 of 8 encrypted