CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

Which of the following is the correct designation for Port 139?

1. File Transfer Protocol

2. NetBIOS (session services)

3. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

4. Internet Control Message Protocol

The correct answer is: NetBIOS (session services)

Port 139 is designated for NetBIOS session services. This port is primarily used for file and printer sharing services on Windows networks and is a part of the NetBIOS over TCP/IP protocol suite. NetBIOS allows applications on separate computers to communicate over a local area network and is particularly important for network services that rely on session-oriented communication. The choice of this designation is significant because it aligns with the historical development of networking protocols, where early Windows networking relied heavily on NetBIOS for various functions, including those related to file sharing and session establishment. The other options represent different protocols that operate on different ports: File Transfer Protocol typically operates on port 21, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol uses ports 67 and 68, and Internet Control Message Protocol does not utilize a dedicated port in the traditional sense as it operates over IP directly. Thus, understanding the specific roles and associated ports of various protocols is crucial for network analysis and security assessments, which are foundational in the CPSA curriculum.