open ports on XP machine

[sman26]

I am trying to figure out how to open more ports on an XP machine I am running COPSSH server on. I have basically turned off the XP firewall all together so that port 22 would be open. (when it works, later i will turn the fw back on and make 22 and exception or whichever port i choose but now I just want to get it to work.) When i run a port scanner it is only showing ports 135,139,445,3389 as open. With the XP firewall off shouldn't all ~65,000 port be open and showing? and I should be able to test with the port scanner or cmd telnet XX.XX.XX.XX 22 and it should let me in. What more do i need to do? I have no Anti virus running which might get in the way.
Thank you.

 

[BadBigBen]

With the XP firewall off shouldn't all ~65,000 port be open and showing?

No... then for a PORT to be open, there has to be something listening on that port...

Open Ports on Windows XP

http://www.mobydisk.com/techres/windowsports.html

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[sman26]

BadBigBen,

So if I have COPSSH server running on the box and set it to run on port 22 (default) for instance which then makes that port turn to listening I still could not get it to show that it was open.
Just curious, if that's the case that all ports are closed unless they are listening then does a firewall need to be used? As long at you know which ports you have your applications running on all others are theoretically CLOSED and can't be hacked into?

Thanks for your help.
sman

 

[BadBigBen]

for a PORT to be open

my mistake, it should have read "for a PORT to visible

does a firewall need to be used?

one should always use a firewall, as there are ports that are open and vulnerable...

routers usually have a FIREWALL, that block ports also... so you may have to open the port (port forwarding)...

also Port 445 is a huge security hole and is used for file and print sharing. I suggest you disable file and print sharing on the network adapter connected to the internet.





Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[sman26]

Thank you. Just to clarify. If I've got 2 PCs on the LAN and I turn off the firewall on PC1 and there is NOT and SSH Server running. Now on the PC2 if I do a "telnet <PC1> 22" it will not be able to connect because nothing is listening on the port even though it is wide open. Sound right? This may sound silly then...the port it open but you can't see it because nothing is listening on it...how can you cause damage to PC1. What do hackers do since port 22, in this case, is open to get in if it's open but nothing is on that port?

 

[BadBigBen]

how can you cause damage to PC1.

by using another port that is visible...

What do hackers do since port 22, in this case, is open to get in if it's open but nothing is on that port?

nothing really, even though that port is open there is no app at the other end to exploit... hackers prefer ports like 445 (file and printer sharing)...

an anology (metaphoricly speaking), imagine the ports being mailboxes and the applications behind them the houses...

now a burglar walking down the street may see the mailbox at Portstreet 22, but there is no house to break into, so he will walk past it looking for another address with a house to enter...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[sman26]

Appreciate the analogy. That is making sense now. Last question, I promise. You mention port 445 for instance is one hacker like to get into. How would they get into it? I have used tools to be able to tell that one is open but what do you do from there? Obviously I'm not a hacker but just curious more than anything on how they exploit an open port if you know.
thx.

 

[BadBigBen]

How would they get into it? I have used tools to be able to tell that one is open but what do you do from there?

I really don't know myself... but if you google around a bit, you will find interesting reading material on the subject...


Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"