Port995— POP3 over TLS (POP3S)
TCP 995 is POP3S — POP3 wrapped in TLS from the first byte. It is the secure replacement for plaintext POP3 on 110 and the default in modern mail clients.
Registry assignments, software defaults and local listeners are different things. A port number alone does not identify or secure a service.
Configuration and troubleshooting
For 995 failures: verify the certificate chain with `openssl s_client -connect mail.example.com:995 -quiet` — trust-mode settings in the client matter for self-signed certs. On Dovecot, 995 is served by the pop3s service; confirm with `ss -tlnp | grep 995`. Allow TCP 995 in the firewall.
Important limitations
Do not confuse 995 (implicit TLS) with STARTTLS on 110, which negotiates TLS after plaintext and is vulnerable to downgrade attacks. 995 handles transport encryption only — still prefer app-specific passwords for auth.
Read-only checks: run on the server host
Choose the commands for your OS. Check TCP and UDP separately. No result is not a lasting availability guarantee; inspect host and container separately.
Linux
sudo ss -ltnp 'sport = :995'macOS
sudo lsof -nP -iTCP:995 -sTCP:LISTENWindows PowerShell
Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 995 -State ListenSources and review
Sources checked on:
This review covers the explanations and sources on this page, not your device or every community software entry below.
Software Using This Port (3 software)
Community software entries: links are references, not individual verification.
Usage Suggestions
- Before using port 995, please confirm it is not occupied by other services
- If you encounter port conflicts, consider using other ports or stopping the occupying service
Frequently asked questions
What is port 995 used for?
Port 995 sits in the Email & Messaging category. This page lists the registered purpose and the software commonly associated with it; to see what is actually listening on a specific machine, check the process with ss/netstat.
Is port 995 TCP or UDP?
The registered protocol on this page is TCP. The same number behaves independently on each protocol: TCP may be listening while UDP is idle, so check them separately.
How do I check if port 995 is in use?
On Linux: sudo ss -tlnp 'sport = :995' for an exact port match. On macOS: sudo lsof -nP -iTCP:995 -sTCP:LISTEN. On Windows PowerShell: Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 995 -State Listen. A listener counts as confirmed only when you can see the bind address and process name; without root/admin you will not see other users' processes.
Is port 995 secure? Should I open it in my firewall?
A port number has no inherent security — it depends on whether the listening service is correctly configured and whether it needs exposure at all. Keep loopback/internal-only services firewalled; where public access is required, pair it with source restrictions, VPN or authentication. The caution section on this page lists port-specific risks.
Quick Info
- Port
- 995
- Protocol
- TCP
- Categories
- Email & Messaging
- Usage Status
- 3 software in use
Related Ports
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