How to close open port(s)

[Shiva]

Hi,

During a check with the online Symantec Security Analysis utility, I found
one of my machines had Port 21 open (for ICMP Pings).

How do I close this port (or any other open port for that matter)?

Thanks for any suggestions.

SP

 

[Guest]

Hi Shiva,

Port 21 is for FTP. Are you running an FTP server (doubtful) ? What firewall
are you using ?

Regards Colin.

 

[Shiva]

Hi,

I am not running a FTP server which is why I want to close the port!

Regards and thanks for the inquiry.

SP

 

[Shiva]

Hi again,

I have only the Windows firewall running. (SP2 installed).

IE has been configured with maximum security (I use Firefox for most
browsing though!)

As somebody suggested it might have something to do with the DCom service.
Should it be disabled?

Regards.

SP

 

[Shiva]

Hi'

Thanks for one response (to my mailbox) I was able to shut down port 21.
Here is how:

I went to Windows Firewall configuration, clicked on Advanced tab and
clicked on the Defaults button on the bottom. Port 21 is disabled in Windows
XP as a default and this achieved the purpose.

I just ran the Symantec online security test and now it shows not a single
open port! I was advised to run the GRC test which I shall be doing later
on.

Regards and thanks to all you wonderful people on these newsgroups.

SP

 

[Steve Riley [MSFT]]

This makes zero sense.

ICMP does not use TCP or UDP ports. If some diagnostic tool told you that
having port 21 open means "for ICMP pings," then that tool is seriously
horked.

Furthermore, opening or closing ports in the firewall means nothing if there
is no service bound to a port. If there is no service, there is no port that
can be open or closed.

I question what's really going on here...

Steve Riley
(e-mail address removed)