Port 5357 Hacktricks Jun 2026

Using a web browser to navigate to http://TARGET_IP:5357 , the tester was greeted not by an error, but by a default web page from Microsoft's HTTPAPI (HTTP Server API). This is a significant finding, as the HTTPAPI is a kernel-mode library for handling HTTP requests.

suggest blocking this port at the firewall level to prevent unnecessary information leakage. specific Nmap scripts for enumerating WSD services, or are you looking for firewall configuration steps to secure this port?

Review a list of commonly targeted alongside 5357?

This article synthesizes the technical mechanisms behind Port 5357, its behavior during enumeration, security risks, historical exploits, and defensive remediation strategies. What is Port 5357? port 5357 hacktricks

Port 5357: WSDAPI Enumeration and Penetration Testing (TCP) is primarily used by the Web Services for Devices API (WSDAPI) , Microsoft's implementation of the WS-Discovery protocol. It allows Windows systems to automatically discover and communicate with network-connected devices like printers, scanners, and file shares over HTTP. In a penetration testing context, this port is often a target for fingerprinting Windows environments or exploiting legacy memory corruption vulnerabilities. Service Overview

When Windows machines have network discovery enabled, they spin up a web server listening on Port 5357. This server processes SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) messages wrapped in HTTP requests to facilitate plug-and-play network capabilities. Enumeration and Reconnaissance

WSD utilizes specific UUIDs and endpoints to handle communication. Attackers and auditors look for paths related to the Function Discovery Provider Host ( fdphost ) or specific print/scan services. Using a web browser to navigate to http://TARGET_IP:5357

Securing port 5357 involves reducing its network visibility and disabling unnecessary services. Firewall Filtering

. It allows devices to advertise their presence and services on a local network without manual configuration. While useful for seamless hardware integration, it often presents a surface for information gathering during a security assessment. Security Implications and Pentesting According to methodologies found on resources like HackTricks

For public networks, deactivate Network Discovery to close the port. Firewall Configuration: specific Nmap scripts for enumerating WSD services, or

If you are performing a and need to bypass firewalls , I can help you with techniques to identify open ports .

Port 5357 is a UDP port used by the Windows operating system for the Windows Remote Management (WinRM) service, also known as the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) or Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). It's also used for the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and other management applications.

Because port 5357 handles XML data structures, older or misconfigured implementations of Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) or WSDAPI may be susceptible to XML-based attacks.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <soap:Envelope...> ... <wsa:Address>urn:uuid:56e-etc...</wsa:Address> ... <pub:Computer>LEDGER-DC01</pub:Computer> ...

A historic but classic example where an attacker could send a crafted HTTP request with a malicious Range header to execute arbitrary code or trigger a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) via kernel memory corruption. Any open HTTP port powered by http.sys (including 5357) could be used as the entry point. 2. Information Disclosure & Internal Reconnaissance