43-Year-Old Telnet Still Popular On The Internet

It is 43 years ago this week that Jon Postel RFC 318 published a document in which he described a standard method to control terminal devices at one location from another location, now better known as Telnet (Teletype NETwork). Despite its age and the security problems that are associated with Telnet network protocol is still very popular on the Internet.

John Matherly, the developer of the search engine Shodan, collected in March sorts of information services on the Internet and discovered that Telnet on the sixth place of most state services found behind HTTP, CWMP, SIP, SSH and HTTPS. According Matherly, Telnet is still used by companies and manufacturers. Among other kinds of " smart "products. "The fact that Telnet is easy to use, easy to integrate and requested by users allows Telnet remains popular on the Internet," said Matherly.

Telnet was designed at a time when security hardly played a role and therefore does not have encryption. Besides all kinds of old legacy devices that still use telnet and replaced by SSH is unclear how often the protocol for new products at selected points Matherly. "But the fact remains that even for new programs and devices, and engineers Telnet preferable alternatives."Something Shodan developer both from a security and usability point of view is unwise. Recently reported that the Internet giant Akamai even in the fourth quarter of 2014 as much as 32% of all the observed attack traffic against Telnet was addressed.