Service:
asf-rmcp
Protocol:
UDPPort:
623Used for:
Alert Standard Forum Remote Management and Control ProtocolWhy It’s Open
Port 623 is used by ASF-RMCP (Alert Standard Forum Remote Management and Control Protocol), commonly found on systems with Intel AMT (Active Management Technology), IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface), and other out-of-band management systems. These services provide remote hardware management capabilities even when the OS is offline.
Common Risks
- Out-of-band access
Hardware-level remote access bypassing OS security - BMC vulnerabilities
Baseboard Management Controller security flaws - IPMI authentication bypass
Known vulnerabilities in IPMI implementations - Intel AMT exploitation
Management Engine vulnerabilities and backdoors - Default credentials
Many BMCs ship with weak default passwords - Network isolation bypass
Management networks often poorly segmented - Persistent access
Hardware-level persistence survives OS reinstalls
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Enumeration & Testing
Service Detection:
nmap -sU -p 623IPMI Version Discovery:
nmap -sU --script ipmi-version -p 623IPMI User Enumeration:
nmap -sU --script ipmi-brute -p 623What to Look For
| Checkpoint | What it means |
|---|---|
| IPMI version support | IPMI protocol version and supported features |
| Default credentials | Common BMC default usernames and passwords |
| User account enumeration | List of configured management users |
| Cipher suite support | Encryption and authentication mechanisms |
| Hardware information | System details exposed through management interface |
Mitigation
- Keep software updated
Apply latest security patches - Strong authentication
Use complex passwords and 2FA - Access restrictions
Limit service to trusted networks - Monitor activity
Log and review service usage - Disable if unused
Remove unnecessary services
TL;DR
- Port 623 = IPMI/BMC out-of-band management
- Hardware-level access independent of operating system
- High-value target for persistent access and lateral movement
- Requires dedicated security attention and network segmentation
Known CVEs and Exploits
- CVE-2013-4786 – IPMI 2.0 authentication bypass vulnerability
- CVE-2017-5689 – Intel AMT authentication bypass
- CVE-2019-6260 – Supermicro BMC authentication bypass