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Well-known port (0–1023) High risk

Port 514 SYSLOG

Quick answer

Port 514 is most commonly used by Syslog. The IANA registry lists TCP / UDP for this number.

Check and block Is it safe? Troubleshooting FAQ
TransportTCP / UDP
RiskHigh
Typical useMonitoring and metrics

What is port 514 used for?

Port 514 is most commonly used by Syslog. Most Unix hosts send syslog messages to UDP 514; the IANA registry also lists the number as the legacy rsh service shell. It sits in the well-known range, which operating systems reserve for core network services, so software expects it at this number by default. The same port is also registered under syslog.

Each transport reaches a different service on this number, so match the protocol to the service you are diagnosing. A TCP check says nothing about a UDP listener on the same port, and the reverse is also true. Both transports still bind to the same number, which is why two processes can collide even when they use different protocols.

Use the commands below to confirm whether port 514 is actually in use before you change firewall rules. Blocking the port stops new inbound traffic at the firewall, but it does not stop a local process from listening, and it does not remove the service from the machine.

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Source: IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry. Reference: [RFC 5426].

Check and block port 514

Copy-ready commands for the protocols assigned to this port. Run the check first, then block only what should not be reachable.

Check on Linux

sudo ss -tlpn 'sport = :514' sudo ss -ulpn 'sport = :514'

Check on Windows

Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 514 -State Listen -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue Get-NetUDPEndpoint -LocalPort 514 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Block with UFW

sudo ufw deny 514/tcp sudo ufw deny 514/udp

Block with iptables

sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 514 -j DROP sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 514 -j DROP

These commands are examples for a typical host. Check the listener before you change firewall rules, and persist iptables rules with iptables-save or netfilter-persistent. On Windows, use Windows Defender Firewall or New-NetFirewallRule for persistent blocks. The iptables rules here cover IPv4; mirror them with ip6tables if IPv6 is enabled.

Is port 514 safe to expose?

High

rsh and syslog over this port are unauthenticated or cleartext; use SSH and an encrypted log transport instead. Treat this port as sensitive. Restrict it to trusted networks or a VPN, require authentication and logging, and never expose it directly to the public internet without a hardened gateway in front.

Where port 514 is usually used

Most traffic on port 514 falls into these scenarios. The demo below is a safe way to confirm the listener before you change anything.

Demo

Send a syslog test message

UDP 514 is the classic syslog port; the legacy rsh service also uses this number, so confirm which process is listening.

logger -n 127.0.0.1 -P 514 "portatlas test"

Common problems with port 514

Connection refused or timed out

Refused usually means the host is reachable but nothing is listening on port 514. A timeout more often means a firewall drop, a wrong host or a service bound to a different interface.

Port already in use

Find the process holding the port with sudo ss -tlpn 'sport = :514' or sudo lsof -i :514. Stop that process or configure it to bind another port; killing it without identifying it can take down a production service.

Firewall rule did not survive a reboot

UFW and Windows Firewall keep rules across restarts. Raw iptables rules do not: save them with iptables-save or the netfilter-persistent package, and re-apply after upgrades that reset the ruleset.

The port is blocked but still reachable

A firewall rule filters inbound traffic; it does not close the listener. Confirm with the check command above and bind the service to 127.0.0.1 when only local clients need it.

Port 514 at a glance

Port number514
IANA service nameshell
Commonly used bySyslog
Aliasessyslog
Transport protocolTCP / UDP
Assignments by protocol
  • TCP shell — cmd like exec, but automatic authentication is performed as for login server
  • UDP syslog
CategoryMonitoring and metrics
RangeWell-known port (0–1023)
Risk levelHigh
Registered assigneeNot listed
Reference[RFC 5426]
Registry descriptioncmd like exec, but automatic authentication is performed as for login server
SourceIANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry

Frequently asked questions

What is port 514 used for?

Port 514 (SYSLOG). The IANA registry assigns a different service on each transport protocol: TCP shell; UDP syslog. Most Unix hosts send syslog messages to UDP 514; the IANA registry also lists the number as the legacy rsh service shell.

How do I check if port 514 is open?

On Linux run `sudo ss -tlpn 'sport = :514'` and `sudo ss -ulpn 'sport = :514'`. On Windows run `Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 514 -State Listen -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue` and `Get-NetUDPEndpoint -LocalPort 514 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue` in PowerShell. If the port is open, the output shows a process listening on port 514; empty output usually means nothing is bound to it.

How do I block port 514?

With UFW run `sudo ufw deny 514/tcp` and `sudo ufw deny 514/udp`. With iptables run `sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 514 -j DROP` and `sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 514 -j DROP`. Persist the iptables rules with your distribution's netfilter-persistent or iptables-save tooling so they survive a reboot.

Is port 514 safe to expose?

rsh and syslog over this port are unauthenticated or cleartext; use SSH and an encrypted log transport instead. Nevertheless, treat this port as sensitive. Restrict it to trusted networks or a VPN, require authentication and logging, and never expose it directly to the public internet without a hardened gateway in front.

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Primary data: IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry.

Last reviewed 2026-10-30 · Methodology · About · Privacy