WSMANS

WSMANS (Windows Remote Management) on port 5986 is used for secure remote management of Windows systems. It leverages the WS-Management protocol to enable administrators to manage and monitor systems remotely. This service is essential for automating administrative tasks and ensuring efficient system management.

What is WSMANS

WSMANS, or Windows Remote Management, is a service that operates on port 5986 and uses the WS-Management protocol. This protocol is a standard web services protocol used for remote software and hardware management. WSMANS allows administrators to securely manage and monitor Windows systems from a remote location, making it a crucial tool for IT management.

Introduced by Microsoft, WSMANS is part of the Windows Management Framework and is designed to facilitate the automation of administrative tasks. It supports a wide range of management operations, including configuration management, system monitoring, and task automation. By using HTTPS, it ensures that the communication between the client and the server is encrypted, providing a secure channel for remote management.

WSMANS is particularly useful in large enterprise environments where managing numerous systems manually would be impractical. It integrates with other Microsoft management tools, such as PowerShell, to provide a comprehensive management solution. The service's ability to operate over HTTPS (port 5986) ensures that it can be used securely over the internet, making it a versatile tool for both on-premises and cloud-based systems.

WSMANS runs on TCP and UDP port 5986 and is official IANA port.

Security risk

If port 5986 is open and the WSMANS service is running, it could be a potential target for unauthorized access if not properly secured. Ensuring strong authentication and encryption is crucial to mitigate the risk of data breaches and unauthorized system control. Regular monitoring and updates are essential to maintain the security of the service.

In our UFW tutorial you can follow instructions how you can configure UFW to close port 5986. Use StackChanges to monitor if the WSMANS port is closed and stays closed. StackChanges will send an alert if port 5986 is open again.