What is SSL Certificate Port? A Guide on SSL Port Number

SSL Port is the Number Assigned to the Type of Connection Established Over the Web

SSL or Secure Socket Layer is becoming progressively important as more and more people are discovering cyber threats. While some have become victims of cyber-attacks, others are getting cautious by watching what’s happening around them.

An SSL certificate provides the required protection and security establishing a secure connection between the user and the website. They create an encrypted channel between the two parties maintaining privacy and data integrity. Connected to SSL, an SSL port maintains the privacy between the server and the client. Even if a website has obtained the SSL certificate, an SSL port certificate is required to ensure that the connection is private and secure. Let’s find out more about the importance and usage of SSL Port certificates in the following sections.

What is SSL Port?

There are basically five layers between a client and the server. These are;

Physical
Data Link
Network
Transport
Application

Port numbers in SSL Port are provided by Layer 4 (Application).

There are an ample amount of ports available on the Internet and they are numbered according to their properties. For instance, the websites with HTTPS added before their address means they have an SSL certificate. Plus, the port number of the HTTPS certificate is 443.

However, an unsecured connection having only HTTP in the URL uses Port 80. Not having an SSL certificate can still establish a connection between the client and server, but a port number is essential to ensure the security of this connection.

Common TCP Ports Used in the Web World

Port Numbers	Usage and Allocation
0 to 1023 Well-Known Ports	Port numbers between 0 to 1023 are allocated by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). These are reserved for common TCP/IP systems and connections. These port numbers allow the clients to discover and locate server application processes.
1024 to 49151 User or Registered Ports	These port numbers have a special purpose and are commonly used by web developers or agencies. They are used to establish a secure connection when the companies are offering some special services to their customers.
49152 – 65535 Dynamic Ports	These ports are not assigned to any particular entity. They are not even controlled or managed and are only used as temporary ports. We may also call them private ports. Web developers and other agencies use these ports freely for a temporary purposes.

Is there a difference between HTTPS Port and TLS Port?

No, both these terms represent the same logic. HTTPS is related to SSL, meaning a website or a platform that has received its SSL certificate can add the extra “S” towards the end of HTTP to highlight the fact that the connection is, in fact, private.

TLS is just a replacement term for SSL. Hence, TLS and SSL represent the same meaning. As a result, the HTTPS and TLS ports also represent the same logic. Web developers and users use the term SSL widely enough, which has made it a habit of using the same terminology even with TLS.

So, when you read HTTPS Port 443 or SSL certificate port 443, the meaning and functionality remain the same.

SSL Port Number Used on the Web and Email for Different Purposes

The list below will help you familiarize yourself with the popular port numbers used on the web. We don’t need to know about every port number on the list, but it is important to identify some of them for a better understanding of how the web world works.

SSL Port Number Used for Web Processes and Transactions

Port Number	What does it Represent?
80	Port number 80 signifies an unsecured connection. So, when we are transferring information across web pages from an unsecured connection, it happens via Port 80.
443	The secured connections establishing privacy between the client and server are represented by Port 443. This is the highest level of encryption used in day-to-day connection processes.
21	Port 21 is assigned to the FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
990	When the FTP servers and connections are further secured by SSL/TLS encryption, Port 990 is used.
21	Port number 21 is utilized to ensure privacy when a user logs into their account. Plus, it is also used in Secure Shell for file and port transfers.
3306	Port 3306 is the default port used in MySQL Protocol systems.

SSL Ports Used in Sending and Receiving Emails

Port Number	What does it Represent?
110	The POP3 protocol utilizes this port number when the users want to access an unsecured email.
995	Port 995 is used in email transactions for connections that are secured by SSL/TLS protocols.
143	Port 143 is connected to another protocol, Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP4), and it is popularly used for recovering emails.
993	For when the users want to connect an IMAP server with SSL/TLS security, Port 993 is used.
25 80 3535	These three ports are used for SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) relaying. This means that when a user is sending emails individually or in bulk, they are using any of these three ports.
465	Port 465 is also used in SMTP relaying with the additional security of SSL encryption. So, here the SMTP becomes SMTPS because of the added encryption standard.

cPanel Port Numbers and Functions

Port Number	What does it Represent?
2082	In cPanel, this port number represents a situation when an unencrypted connection is established from the client to the server with HTTP. As there is no SSL certificate involved here, the connection is relayed to Port 80.
2083	In 2083, we built and established a secure connection between the web server and client via relaying the request to HTTPS port 443.
2086	This port number represents the WHM TCP inbound connection giving the users administrative control and allowing them to manage multiple cPanel accounts.
2087 2089	Both these ports have the same function as port 2087, but they represent an added layer of protection with the SSL certificate.
2095	This port number represents the Webmail TCP inbound connection, but it is unsecured.
2096	Following the same principle that comes with an SSL certificate, this port is used for Webmail SSL TCP inbound connections.

How Does an SSL Certificate Work?

We know that an SSL certificate adds higher security to the connection between the client and server. As a result, every communication between the browser and the server is encrypted.

Encrypted connections are nearly impossible to crack, and there won’t be any eavesdropping. Domains that obtain the SSL certificate are authenticated to interact with their users, and the users, in turn, engage with trust and are ready to share confidential information.

This is why it is necessary to check for the SSL certificate with a domain, especially the ones catering to banking and online shopping. The certificate provides the domain with two things;

A digital certificate to establish its identity.
Verifies the identity and the domain’s public key.

A connection with an SSL certificate is established in four steps;

When a user enters the name of the website in the address bar, the browser will try to establish a connection with the domain. The browser will then send a request to the domain’s server to create a connection.

After receiving the request, the web server will send a copy of its SSL certificate to the browser.

The browser will then check the SSL certificate for verification purposes. Basically, the browser will check whether it can trust the SSL certificate. The certificate will send the message to the web server if it checks out.

With this, the web server will then send back a digitally signed acknowledgment. This authenticates the browser to start an SSL encrypted session.

Post this, every sort of information, data, and connection shared between the client and server is encrypted.

Why is SSL Port Number Important for a Secure Connection over the Web?

Establishing a connection over SSL Port is crucial for every type of communication happening over the web. In an era when cyber threats and hacking attempts are getting prominent, you should not risk connecting with an unsecured server and exchanging information with the same, only to find yourself at the hacker’s mercy. So, here are some points to show the importance of an SSL secure port.

Website Safety: HTTPS or SSL certificate provides an additional layer of security. It protects you from data theft and prevents intruders from accessing confidential information. Without SSL, it will be relatively easier for hackers to penetrate the network and access your login credentials. HTTPS ensures that confidential information is coded and hidden from the view of hackers.

Compliance with PCI: Organizations and websites dealing with financial transactions and information must have PCI DSS. And they can only be authenticated with PCI DSS if they have HTTPS or SSL certificates. Users who are aware of the HTTPS and SSL certificate will be able to trust the platform they are interacting with and will be comfortable sharing their information.

Better Speed and SEO: Along with tightening the noose on security, an HTTPS certificate also improves the website speed. The ability of a website to load faster is crucial to retaining visitors. Plus, websites with higher speed also get better website ranking.

In addition to the speed, search engines also favor websites and platforms with SSL certificates. Due to this, they are set to get a higher rank than websites which do not have an SSL certificate.

SSL Certificate is a game changer in the web world. And we are not stopping here. As we progress further better encryption standards are created and distributed for public use.

At present, the best encryption standard is AES-256 bit encryption, and it can take 2.29*10^32 years with the world’s best and fastest supercomputer. And there are systems being developed to improve it further.

Conclusion

SSL certificate ports are one of the ways to build and work with a secure connection over the web. With websites, browsers, servers, applications, and almost every digital channel utilizing the internet, it is essential to set in the right configurations for the safety of the users. An SSL certificate provides the clients and servers a way to create and work with an air-tight secure connection.

SSL ports define the extent of the connection’s security and how effective are the measures put in place for the same. It is essential to understand the importance of an SSL certificate and how SSL ports are used for securing confidential information falling into the wrong hands.