# WHATPORT(912)

## NAME

port 912 — VMware Authorization Service (Workstation/Player) — IANA: apex-mesh — Registered by RFC 3340 for APEX relay traffic, but what actually listens here is VMware Workstation's authorization service on Windows.

Protocol: TCP  
IANA: apex-mesh

## DESCRIPTION

RFC 3340 defines the Application Exchange (APEX) core and registers apex-mesh on 912 for relay-to-relay connections between APEX servers; APEX never saw real deployment, so nothing speaks it. On a Windows desktop, 912 is where vmware-authd — the VMware Authorization Service installed by Workstation and Player — listens to authorize users starting or connecting to virtual machines. Finding 912 open next to 902 on a Windows host is a strong Workstation fingerprint.

## EXPOSURE

**Do not expose.** It is a virtual-machine authorization and control interface running with high privilege on a desktop; it has no reason to be reachable off the machine, let alone from another network.

## CHECK

```sh
nc -v -w 3 TARGET 912
```

## SEE ALSO

- spec — [RFC 3340 — The Application Exchange Core (registers apex-mesh on 912)](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3340.html) (rfc-editor.org)
- iana — [IANA port registry — 912](https://www.iana.org/assignments/service-names-port-numbers/service-names-port-numbers.xhtml?search=912) (iana.org)
- source — [nmap-services (912/tcp apex-mesh)](https://github.com/nmap/nmap/blob/master/nmap-services) (github.com)

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