Port 464Kerberos Password Change

Port 464 is primarily used for the Kerberos protocol's password change and set functions, enabling secure management of user credentials within a Kerberos authentication infrastructure..

transport
tcp · udp

2 transports registered

in transit
cleartext

payload readable on path

assignment
official

registered with iana

risk
2/10

safe

lookups
10,609

rank 410 of 993 · top 41%

Technical Details

what runs on :464

Kerberos is a widely used network authentication protocol that uses tickets to allow nodes to prove their identity securely. Port 464 is designated specifically for the Kerberos password change protocol, allowing users to update or reset their authentication credentials in a secure environment. It utilizes both TCP and UDP transport protocols to facilitate reliable communication and service discovery.

When a user requests a password change, their client communicates over port 464 to the Kerberos Password-changing server, which verifies the current authentication context and enforces any applicable password policies. This process is essential for maintaining security within domains using Kerberos, particularly in enterprise environments relying on Active Directory. The protocol employs encrypted channels during the exchange, typically layered over existing Kerberos security mechanisms, to ensure credentials are not transmitted in plaintext.

While closely related to port 88, which handles standard Kerberos ticket-granting operations, port 464 expressly serves functions tied to credential management. Proper configuration of services listening on this port is necessary to maintain robust identity management within secured network infrastructures.

Security Information

exposure of :464

risk score

2/ 10safe

routine exposure. this port is rarely the way in on its own — keep it patched and logged and move on.

security averages 3.8 across 216 ports — this one sits 1.8 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:

  • Password change replay attacks, where intercepted messages could be reused maliciously if encryption is not properly enforced.
  • Man-in-the-middle attacks during the password change process, especially in environments lacking encryption or with weak policies.
  • Exploitation due to misconfigured servers, leading to unauthorized password resets or information disclosure.

Common mitigations:

  • Enforce strong encryption and integrity checks during the password change procedure.
  • Use up-to-date Kerberos implementations and avoid deprecated algorithms.
  • Regularly audit access controls and server configurations to prevent unauthorized changes.
  • Deploy network security measures such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor and restrict traffic on this port.

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

risk mix of the 8 listed

  • caution100%

3 of 8 encrypted