What is Port 113 and it's importance

Can someone explain what Port 113 does.

 

Port 113 is the so called idendity port which is not used anymore very often. In former times (sometimes still today) POP3 provider and IRC server used it.

It is advicable to close/stealph this port, and open it only in spezial occasions as mentioned above (if needed).

More infos:
http://www.grc.com/port_113.htm
http://www.auditmypc.com/port/udp-port-113.asp
http://www.iss.net/security_center/advice/Exploits/Ports/113/default.htm

 

Thanks Tommy. Appreicate it.

 

Tommy, I got one other question. In running the shieldsup program it says Port 113 is closed, not stealth. In the grand scheme of things, does it matter if it's closed and not stealthed? It says my machine is failing the test, but the only thing I see in the test is this problem with Port 113 and if it's closed, it seems like that would be OK. Is that right?

 

Hello,
If it's closed, then you're ok.
BTW, what operating system are you running? A linux distro by any chance?
Mrk

 

Thanks. Oh, I'm running XP2 with Kaspersky Firewall just installed.

 

It probably is your router which is responding to the port 113 being closed. Closed is just perfectly fine (I actually edited my router to have all ports respond closed instead of stealthed). If you really want it stealthed so you can have the warm fuzzy feeling of Steve Gibson giving you the "Perfect Stealth Rating" then set a random address for the DMZ that is a non-existant pc on your network. Then, all unsolicited traffic will be forwarded there and the router won't respond to any unsolicited traffic, since it is all forwarded to a non-existant pc.

Cheers,

Alphalutra1

 

LOL, alphalutra. I just wanted to make sure that being "closed" was OK. I sort of thought that seemed OK, but I sometimes(OK, a lot of times) get things wrong about these type of things.

Thanks to everybody for their responses. Have to say, this is one of the best forums I have seen with so many members and the fact that everyone is so willing to help out a neophyte like me. I really appreciate it.