This article will explore ways to check which service is listening on a paticular port. Most Linux services will run as a daemon exposing a port
Installing and Using lsof
lsof is a command line utility to list all open files belonging to all active processes.
To install it on Linux, use the following commands depending the distribution type you use.
On Debian, Ubuntu:
sudo apt install lsofOn CentOS, RHEL, Rocky or Alma Linux:
sudo yum install lsofNewer versions like CentOS 8/9, RHEL 8/9 or Fedora
sudo dnf install lsofTo find which processes are running on which ports, simply specify the port number:
sudo lsof -i :3000Sample output:
# lsof -i :3000
COMMAND PID USER FD TYPE DEVICE SIZE/OFF NODE NAME
grafana-s 264023 grafana 10u IPv6 2887779 0t0 TCP *:hbci (LISTEN)For more details, refer man pages.
man lsofInstalling and Using netstat
Netstat is a command line utility used to print network connections, routing tables, interface statistics, masquerade connections, and multicast memberships.
Netstat is available in the default repositories of most Linux distributions.
To install it on Linux and its variants, do:
On CentOS, RHEL:
sudo yum install net-tools
# On Fedora, RHEL 8 and Centos8
sudo dnf install net-toolsOn Debian, Ubuntu:
sudo apt install net-toolsUse the following command to find which services are listening on what ports:
sudo netstat -tulpnSample output:
# sudo netstat -tulpn
Active Internet connections (only servers)
Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign Address State PID/Program name
tcp 0 0 127.0.0.1:8088 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 538847/influxd
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:443 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 900/nginx: master p
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:111 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 1/systemd
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:7088 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 538639/docker-proxy
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:80 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 900/nginx: master p
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:22 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 970/sshd
tcp6 0 0 :::9080 :::* LISTEN 393063/promtail-lin
tcp6 0 0 :::3000 :::* LISTEN 264023/grafana-serv
tcp6 0 0 :::3100 :::* LISTEN 391839/loki-linux-a
tcp6 0 0 :::9090 :::* LISTEN 263154/prometheus
tcp6 0 0 :::9096 :::* LISTEN 391839/loki-linux-a
tcp6 0 0 :::9100 :::* LISTEN 262769/node_exporte
tcp6 0 0 :::44303 :::* LISTEN 393063/promtail-lin
tcp6 0 0 :::111 :::* LISTEN 1/systemd
tcp6 0 0 :::7088 :::* LISTEN 538645/docker-proxy
tcp6 0 0 :::80 :::* LISTEN 900/nginx: master p
tcp6 0 0 :::8086 :::* LISTEN 538847/influxd
tcp6 0 0 :::22 :::* LISTEN 970/sshd
udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:111 0.0.0.0:* 1/systemd
udp 0 0 127.0.0.1:323 0.0.0.0:* 777/chronyd
udp6 0 0 :::111 :::* 1/systemd
udp6 0 0 ::1:323 :::* 777/chronyd
udp6 0 0 fe80::458:3aff:fed6:546 :::* 850/NetworkManagerIf you are interested in any specific port, you can use grep to filter:
sudo netstat -tulpn | grep 3000
sudo netstat -tulpn | grep grafanaFlags:
- -t flag shows tcp connections.
- -u flag shows udp connections.
- -l flag displays listening sockets.
- -p flag displays the process ID(PID) and the process name of whatever is using that port.
- -n flag displays the numerical addresses.
For more details, refer man pages.
man netstatUsing “ss” command
ss is command line utility to investigate sockets. It is an alternative to netstat and the usage of ss is almost same as netstat. It comes pre-installed on popular linux distros like Redhat, Debian and their variants.
To find which services are listening on which ports, run:
sudo ss -tulpnSample output:
Netid State Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:Port Process
udp UNCONN 0 0 0.0.0.0:111 0.0.0.0:* users:(("rpcbind",pid=705,fd=5),("systemd",pid=1,fd=33))
udp UNCONN 0 0 127.0.0.1:323 0.0.0.0:* users:(("chronyd",pid=777,fd=6))
udp UNCONN 0 0 [::]:111 [::]:* users:(("rpcbind",pid=705,fd=7),("systemd",pid=1,fd=35))
udp UNCONN 0 0 [::1]:323 [::]:* users:(("chronyd",pid=777,fd=7))
udp UNCONN 0 0 [fe80::458:3aff:fed6:8255]%eth0:546 [::]:* users:(("NetworkManager",pid=850,fd=26))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 127.0.0.1:8088 0.0.0.0:* users:(("influxd",pid=538847,fd=3))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 0.0.0.0:443 0.0.0.0:* users:(("nginx",pid=902,fd=8),("nginx",pid=901,fd=8),("nginx",pid=900,fd=8))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 0.0.0.0:111 0.0.0.0:* users:(("rpcbind",pid=705,fd=4),("systemd",pid=1,fd=32))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 0.0.0.0:7088 0.0.0.0:* users:(("docker-proxy",pid=538639,fd=4))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 0.0.0.0:80 0.0.0.0:* users:(("nginx",pid=902,fd=9),("nginx",pid=901,fd=9),("nginx",pid=900,fd=9))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 0.0.0.0:22 0.0.0.0:* users:(("sshd",pid=970,fd=5))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 *:9080 *:* users:(("promtail-linux-",pid=393063,fd=10))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 *:3000 *:* users:(("grafana-server",pid=264023,fd=10))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 *:3100 *:* users:(("loki-linux-amd6",pid=391839,fd=9))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 *:9090 *:* users:(("prometheus",pid=263154,fd=8))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 *:9096 *:* users:(("loki-linux-amd6",pid=391839,fd=10))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 *:9100 *:* users:(("node_exporter",pid=262769,fd=3))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 *:44303 *:* users:(("promtail-linux-",pid=393063,fd=11))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 [::]:111 [::]:* users:(("rpcbind",pid=705,fd=6),("systemd",pid=1,fd=34))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 [::]:7088 [::]:* users:(("docker-proxy",pid=538645,fd=4))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 [::]:80 [::]:* users:(("nginx",pid=902,fd=10),("nginx",pid=901,fd=10),("nginx",pid=900,fd=10))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 *:8086 *:* users:(("influxd",pid=538847,fd=5))
tcp LISTEN 0 128 [::]:22 [::]:* users:(("sshd",pid=970,fd=7))To filter output for a particular service (E.g. grafana), use:
sudo ss -tulpn | grep grafana
sudo ss -tulpn | grep 3000For more details, refer man pages.
man ssInstalling and Using fuser command
The commandline utility fuser is also used to identify processes using files or sockets. It displays the PIDs of processes using the specified files or file systems.
It is also available in the default repositories of most Linux distributions.
To install it on Linux, run:
On Debian, Ubuntu:
sudo apt install psmiscOn CentOS, RHEL:
sudo yum install psmisc
sudo dnf install psmiscWe need to find the PID of a service or process listening on a particular port. Lets check the PID of the process listening on port 3000 using this command:
sudo fuser 3000/tcpYou will see an output like below.
3000/tcp: 264023Here, 264023 is the PID.
And then find out the actual process using the PID using command:
ps -p 264023 -o comm=Output
# ps -p 264023 -o comm=
grafana-serverNote: Adding the verbose -v flag allows you to view the complete details in a single command:
sudo fuser -v 3000/tcpOutput:
# sudo fuser -v 3000/tcp
USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
3000/tcp: grafana 264023 F.... grafana-serverFor more details, go through the man pages.
man fuser