Telnet is a network protocol and application that allows remote access to computers or network devices over a TCP/IP network. It provides a text-based terminal interface through which users can establish a remote connection to a host system and interact with it as if they were physically present at the remote location.
When using Telnet, the client-side application (Telnet client) connects to the server-side application (Telnet server) using the Telnet protocol. The Telnet server listens on a specific port (typically port 23) and waits for incoming Telnet connections. Once the connection is established, the user can send commands and receive responses from the remote system.
Telnet operates in a client-server architecture and supports various terminal emulation types, such as VT100 or ANSI, to provide a consistent interface across different systems. It allows users to perform tasks remotely, such as logging into remote servers, executing commands, configuring network devices, and accessing remote resources.
However, it’s important to note that Telnet transmits data in plain text, which means that the information sent over a Telnet connection is not encrypted. This lack of security makes Telnet susceptible to eavesdropping and interception. For this reason, Telnet is considered insecure for transmitting sensitive data over untrusted networks like the internet.
As a result, Telnet has been largely replaced by more secure protocols, such as SSH (Secure Shell), which provides encryption and enhanced security features for remote access. SSH offers similar functionality to Telnet but ensures the confidentiality and integrity of data transmitted between the client and server.
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