CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

What is the purpose of port 3389?

1. File Transfer Protocol

2. Remote Desktop Protocol

3. Simple Mail Transfer

4. Hypertext Transfer Protocol

The correct answer is: Remote Desktop Protocol

The purpose of port 3389 is specifically associated with the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). RDP is a proprietary protocol developed by Microsoft that allows users to remotely connect to another computer over a network connection. It enables access to the graphical desktop of the remote computer, allowing for management and control as if the user were physically present at the machine. This capability is particularly useful for system administrators and users who need to troubleshoot issues or access their work computers from different locations. The other options cover different protocols that use separate ports. For example, the File Transfer Protocol utilizes port 21, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is associated with port 25, and Hypertext Transfer Protocol typically operates over port 80. Each of these serves distinct functions unrelated to the remote desktop access that port 3389 facilitates.