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Port 995POP3S

POP3S (Post Office Protocol Version 3 Secure) provides encrypted email retrieval for clients accessing their mailbox from mail servers, ensuring user authentication and message data remain protected during transit. It is essentially the secure version of POP3, using TLS/SSL to add a layer of encryption to prevent eavesdropping or tampering. POP3S is widely supported in mail clients and offers a simple, dependable method to securely access email stored on remote servers..

inEmailSecurity
transport
tcp

single transport

in transit
encrypted

payload protected on the wire

assignment
official

registered with iana

risk
4/10

caution

lookups
18,826

rank 140 of 993 · top 14%

Technical Details

what runs on :995

POP3S, operating over port 995, is the encrypted version of the Post Office Protocol version 3. Traditional POP3 allows an email client to connect to a mail server and download messages for local storage and offline management. POP3S encapsulates this communication within a TLS/SSL encrypted channel, providing confidentiality and integrity during transmission.

When a user connects via POP3S, the client first establishes an encrypted tunnel with the server by performing a TLS or SSL handshake. After encryption is negotiated, authentication credentials and message retrieval commands are transmitted securely. In typical configurations, client applications delete messages from the server once downloaded, though this behavior can usually be adjusted.

Compared to IMAPS (Internet Message Access Protocol Secure), POP3S is simpler and typically suited for users who want to download and store emails locally rather than keeping them on the server. It remains a popular choice for legacy systems and environments demanding straightforward email retrieval with a minimal protocol footprint.

Security Information

exposure of :995

risk score

4/ 10caution

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

email averages 3.9 across 42 ports — this one sits 0.1 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

Common vulnerabilities associated with POP3S implementations include:

  • Weak TLS/SSL configurations, such as support for outdated protocols (e.g., SSLv2/v3) or ciphers susceptible to attacks.
  • Improper certificate validation, leading to susceptibility to Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks.
  • Brute-force attacks targeting weak email account passwords.
  • Server software vulnerabilities that might expose buffer overflows or allow unintended command execution due to improper input handling.

Mitigations for securing POP3S deployments include:

  • Enforcing modern encryption protocols like TLS 1.2/1.3 and disabling outdated SSL versions.
  • Utilizing strong cipher suites and proper certificate management with trusted Certificate Authorities.
  • Implementing rate-limiting and lockout mechanisms to deter password brute-force attempts.
  • Applying regular updates and patches to mail server software to reduce exploitable vulnerabilities.
  • Encouraging or enforcing strong password policies and multi-factor authentication where feasible.

Related Ports

all 42 in email →

the 8 most looked-up other ports in email — 42 ports carry that label.

portservicerisk
:143IMAPcaution
:109POP2caution
:2096cPanel SSL Webmailsafe
:110POP3caution
:993IMAPScaution
:1352Lotus Notes RPCcaution
:24Private Mailcaution
:7025Zimbra LMTPcaution

risk mix of the 8 listed

  • safe13%
  • caution88%

2 of 8 encrypted