In networking, port refers to virtual points within a computer that are used by software and network services to facilitate communication across a network. Port scanning refers to the process of identifying the status of ports on a computer, i.e., whether they are open or closed. A port is generally considered open if it is actively listening for incoming connections. One can check if a port is open by attempting to establish a connection to that port from a remote computer or by using port scanning tools such as Nmap or netstat.
Open ports are essential for computers to communicate with the outside world. For example, port 80 is used for web traffic, port 22 is used for SSH connections, and port 25 is used for email. However, open ports can also pose security risks as they provide potential vulnerabilities for malicious actors to exploit. Checking if your ports are open regularly is crucial for maintaining a secure network infrastructure. Keeping unnecessary ports closed can mitigate the risk of unauthorized access and potential cyberattacks.