What Are Ports? (In Plain English)
Imagine your business computer as an office building. Ports are like numbered doors - Door 80 for websites, Door 443 for secure websites, Door 25 for email. Each door serves a specific purpose.
The Problem: Too Many Doors Left Open
Most small businesses have 50+ doors (ports) open when they only need 5. It's like having 50 entrances to your store but only watching the front door.
How Criminals Use Open Ports
- Port 3389 (Remote Desktop): Like leaving a master key under the doormat
- Port 21 (FTP): Old file transfer - like using a fax machine for secrets
- Port 23 (Telnet): Sends passwords in plain text - like shouting your PIN in public
- Port 445 (File Sharing): Windows file sharing - often exploited by ransomware
Real Small Business Horror Stories
Joe's Auto Shop: Left remote desktop open. Hackers encrypted all customer records and demanded $10,000.
Amy's Accounting: Open file sharing port led to client tax returns being stolen and sold online.
How to Check Your Open Ports (5 Minutes)
- Use DEFSCAN's free port scanner
- Or visit shields.io for a quick online test
- Look for any ports besides 80 (web) and 443 (secure web)
- Question every open port - do you really need it?
Simple Fixes That Work
- Turn on Windows Firewall: It's free and already on your computer
- Use a VPN for Remote Work: $5/month is cheaper than a breach
- Close Unused Ports: If you don't know what it does, close it
- Regular Scans: Check monthly - make it a routine like checking locks
Red Flag: If you can access your work computer from home without a VPN, criminals can too!