Teletype Network Protocol (Telnet)
What is Telnet?
Telnet, developed in 1969, is a protocol that provides a command line interface for communication with a remote device or server, sometimes employed for remote management but also for initial device setup like network hardware. Telnet stands for Teletype Network, but it can also be used as a verb; 'to telnet' is to establish a connection using the Telnet protocol.
Is Telnet secure?
Because it was developed before the mainstream adaptation of the internet, Telnet on its own does not employ any form of encryption, making it outdated in terms of modern security. It has largely been overlapped by Secure Shell (SSH) protocol (which has its own security considerations around remote access), at least on the public internet, but for instances where Telnet is still in use, there are a few methods for securing your communications.
How does Telnet work?
Telnet provides users with a bidirectional interactive text-oriented communication system utilizing a virtual terminal connection over 8 byte. User data is interspersed in-band with telnet control information over the transmission control protocol (TCP). Often, Telnet was used on a terminal to execute functions remotely.
The user connects to the server by using the Telnet protocol, which means entering Telnet into a command prompt by following this syntax: telnet hostname port. The user then executes commands on the server by using specific Telnet commands into the Telnet prompt. To end a session and log off, the user ends a Telnet command with Telnet.
What are common uses for Telnet?
Telnet can be used to test or troubleshoot remote web or mail servers, as well as for remote access to MUDs (multi-user dungeon games) and trusted internal networks.