Port 5632pcAnywhere Status

Symantec pcAnywhere uses port 5632 UDP for transmitting status information between client and host systems. This port helps facilitate remote management and monitoring capabilities within the pcAnywhere application suite, which is widely used for remote desktop control. Proper configuration and securing of this port is essential to avoid unauthorized access..

transport
udp

single transport

in transit
cleartext

payload readable on path

assignment
official

registered with iana

risk
4/10

caution

lookups
13,427

rank 272 of 993 · top 27%

Technical Details

what runs on :5632

Symantec's pcAnywhere is a remote access software solution that enables users to control Host computers remotely for support, administration, or collaboration purposes. The software supports both TCP and UDP protocols, with port 5632 UDP primarily dedicated to status communication and initial handshake signaling between connecting systems.

When a remote user initiates a connection to a pcAnywhere Host, port 5632 is used for listening and exchanging vital information about the host's status, including connection availability and authentication challenges. This lightweight interaction precedes data transfer operations, which involve other communication ports or protocols depending on the session settings.

Version 7.52 onwards standardized the use of port 5632 for such status updates, increasing interoperability and simplifying network configurations. Given its function, the port is particularly important for initiating pcAnywhere sessions, making it a key component of the service's remote control infrastructure.

Security Information

exposure of :5632

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

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

udp

udp is connectionless — source addresses are trivially spoofed and it is a reflection favourite

security overview

Common Vulnerabilities:

  • pcAnywhere's reliance on UDP and lack of encryption by default can expose sensitive status data.
  • Attackers may use port scans to identify active pcAnywhere Hosts, increasing the attack surface.
  • Various historical exploits have targeted authentication bypass, session hijacking, and man-in-the-middle attacks specific to pcAnywhere.

Common Mitigations:

  • Restrict inbound connections with firewall rules, allowing only trusted IP addresses to reach this port.
  • Enable strong authentication methods and ensure all pcAnywhere components are fully patched.
  • Use VPNs or tunnel connections through encrypted channels to add confidentiality.
  • Disable or close this port if pcAnywhere is not actively in use to minimize exposure.

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