{"id":401169,"date":"2025-03-13T10:20:47","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T10:20:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=401169"},"modified":"2025-03-13T10:21:43","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T10:21:43","slug":"dangers-of-port-forwarding","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_71 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-67d483930be4b\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-67d483930be4b\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#Increased_vulnerability_to_cyberattacks\" title=\"Increased vulnerability to cyberattacks&nbsp;\">Increased vulnerability to cyberattacks&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#Exposure_to_sensitive_information\" title=\"Exposure to sensitive information\">Exposure to sensitive information<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#Facilitation_of_DDoS_attacks\" title=\"Facilitation of DDoS attacks\">Facilitation of DDoS attacks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#Malware_threats\" title=\"Malware threats\">Malware threats<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#Conflict_with_firewalls\" title=\"Conflict with firewalls\">Conflict with firewalls<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#What_are_the_solutions_to_minimize_port_forwarding_risks\" title=\"What are the solutions to minimize port forwarding risks?\">What are the solutions to minimize port forwarding risks?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#Use_PureVPN_to_prevent_port_forwarding_risks\" title=\"Use PureVPN to prevent port forwarding risks\">Use PureVPN to prevent port forwarding risks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#Other_solutions\" title=\"Other solutions\">Other solutions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#Concluding_thoughts\" title=\"Concluding thoughts\">Concluding thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/port-forwarding\/what-is-port-forwarding\">Port forwarding<\/a> is a technique that allows external devices to access services or applications on a private network. While it can be a valuable tool for improving network access and functionality, it can also pose security risks that includes some of the following:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"316\" src=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Copy-of-watch-fifa-world-cup-in-russia-38.png\" alt=\"dangers of port forwarding\" class=\"wp-image-401173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Copy-of-watch-fifa-world-cup-in-russia-38.png 600w, https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Copy-of-watch-fifa-world-cup-in-russia-38-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-increased-vulnerability-to-cyberattacks-nbsp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Increased_vulnerability_to_cyberattacks\"><\/span><strong>Increased vulnerability to cyberattacks&nbsp;<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Port forwarding increases the vulnerability to cyberattacks because it creates a direct path into a network and its connected devices, which makes them more accessible to potential attackers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the main risks associated with port forwarding is the exposure of sensitive information. For example, if a port is forwarded to a device that contains confidential data, such as a server or a computer with sensitive files, the information stored on that device is at risk of being compromised.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Attackers can exploit open ports to gain access to this information and steal sensitive data or use it for malicious purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-exposure-to-sensitive-information\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exposure_to_sensitive_information\"><\/span><strong>Exposure to sensitive information<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When a port is forwarded, it opens a door into the network and allows incoming traffic from the internet to reach a specific device or service. This can allow attackers to more easily access and exploit vulnerabilities in the network and connected devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-facilitation-of-ddos-attacks\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Facilitation_of_DDoS_attacks\"><\/span><strong>Facilitation of DDoS attacks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Port forwarding can increase the risk of facilitation of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/ddos\/what-is-a-ddos-attack\">Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks<\/a> because it opens a door into a network and its connected devices, making them more accessible to potential attackers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DDoS attacks are designed to flood a target with traffic from multiple devices, overwhelming its resources and causing it to become unavailable. Port forwarding can increase the risk of facilitation of DDoS attacks by making a network and its connected devices more accessible to potential attackers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-malware-threats\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Malware_threats\"><\/span><strong>Malware threats<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Port forwarding might allow malware to enter your network, as attackers can exploit open ports to gain access and infect your devices. Malware can infect a device through an open port and spread to other devices on the network, potentially causing significant damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-conflict-with-firewalls\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conflict_with_firewalls\"><\/span><strong>Conflict with firewalls<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Port forwarding can also interfere with firewalls in place, as the firewall may need to be configured to monitor and secure incoming traffic on forwarded ports properly. It is essential to only forward ports for necessary services to mitigate these risks. Plus, monitoring your network for suspicious activity and using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/what-is-vpn\">Virtual Private Network (VPN)<\/a> to encrypt your internet connection and protect your data is recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-solutions-to-minimize-port-forwarding-risks\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_solutions_to_minimize_port_forwarding_risks\"><\/span><strong>What are the solutions to minimize port forwarding risks?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several solutions to help reduce the dangers of port forwarding and to secure a network:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Limit the number of ports forwarded:<\/strong> Only forward the ports necessary for specific services, and disable or close the rest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use a VPN:<\/strong> A VPN can provide an extra security layer by encrypting incoming and outgoing traffic, making it more difficult for attackers to access the network and its connected devices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Regularly update software:<\/strong> Keeping software and firmware up to date can help fix known vulnerabilities and prevent malware infections.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enable firewalls:<\/strong> Firewalls can help block unauthorized access to the network and its connected devices by monitoring incoming and outgoing traffic and allowing only traffic from trusted sources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use strong passwords<\/strong>: Strong passwords can help prevent unauthorized access to the network and its connected devices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Monitor the network for suspicious activity:<\/strong> Regularly monitoring the network and its devices can help detect and respond to potential threats.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Implement intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS\/IPS)<\/strong>: IDS\/IPS systems can help detect and prevent malicious activity by analyzing network traffic and alerting administrators when they see potential threats.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-use-purevpn-to-prevent-port-forwarding-risks\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_PureVPN_to_prevent_port_forwarding_risks\"><\/span><strong>Use PureVPN to prevent port forwarding risks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A VPN can be an effective solution to protect against the dangers of port forwarding by adding an extra layer of security to a network.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s how a VPN can help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Encryption:<\/strong> A VPN encrypts all incoming and outgoing traffic, making it more difficult for attackers to access the network and its connected devices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hide IP addresses: <\/strong>A VPN can hide the IP addresses of devices connected to the network, making it more difficult for attackers to target specific devices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Secure remote access: <\/strong>A VPN can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/business-vpn\/vpn-for-teams\/remote-access-vpn\">secure remote access<\/a> to the network, allowing users to connect to the network from anywhere.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prevent man-in-the-middle attacks:<\/strong> A VPN can prevent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wifi-vpn\/threats\/man-in-the-middle-attack\">man-in-the-middle attacks<\/a> by encrypting all traffic between the user and the network, making it more difficult for attackers to intercept and manipulate data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improve network security: <\/strong>A VPN can improve network security by adding an extra layer of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/what-is-vpn\/encryption\">encryption<\/a> to incoming and outgoing traffic, making it more difficult for attackers to access sensitive information.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>PureVPN can provide an effective solution to protect against the dangers of port forwarding by adding an extra layer of security to a network and its connected devices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/sec-order\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get PureVPN<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-other-solutions\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Other_solutions\"><\/span><strong>Other solutions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Use network monitoring tools<\/strong>: To monitor incoming and outgoing traffic for suspicious activity, such as Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Set up alerts:<\/strong> to notify administrators when unusual or suspicious activity is detected. This allows administrators to respond quickly to potential threats. Regularly monitor network activity logs, including firewall logs, to detect any suspicious activity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-concluding-thoughts\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Concluding_thoughts\"><\/span><strong>Concluding thoughts<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Port forwarding can enhance your gaming experience and provide you with better network connections, but it also comes with a cost. It is essential to use a VPN along with the mentioned solutions to mitigate the risk of port forwarding.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Port forwarding is a technique that allows external devices to access services or applications on a private network. While it can be a valuable tool for improving network access and functionality, it can also pose security risks that includes some of the following: Increased vulnerability to cyberattacks&nbsp; Port forwarding increases the vulnerability to cyberattacks because [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":401172,"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"blog_category":[4155],"blog_tag":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.7 (Yoast SEO v23.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding - PureVPN Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about the potential security risks &amp; vulnerabilities associated with port forwarding &amp; how to protect yourself from them.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Port forwarding is a technique that allows external devices to access services or applications on a private network. While it can be a valuable tool for\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"PUREVPN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PureVPNcom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-13T10:20:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-13T10:21:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Your-paragraph-text-48.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1350\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"296\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@purevpncom\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"PureVPN\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc53b29b9a43672fb4000f6cf1362280\"},\"headline\":\"What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-13T10:20:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-13T10:21:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/\"},\"wordCount\":901,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Your-paragraph-text-48.png\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/\",\"name\":\"What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding - PureVPN Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Your-paragraph-text-48.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-13T10:20:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-13T10:21:43+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn about the potential security risks & vulnerabilities associated with port forwarding & how to protect yourself from them.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Your-paragraph-text-48.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Your-paragraph-text-48.png\",\"width\":1350,\"height\":296,\"caption\":\"dangers of port forwarding\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/au\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/\",\"name\":\"PUREVPN\",\"description\":\"PUREVPN\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"PUREVPN\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"PureVPN\",\"alternateName\":\"PureVPN\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/logo-coloured.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/logo-coloured.png\",\"width\":256,\"height\":46,\"caption\":\"PureVPN\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PureVPNcom\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/purevpncom\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/purevpn\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/purevpn\",\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/PureVPN\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc53b29b9a43672fb4000f6cf1362280\",\"name\":\"PureVPN\",\"description\":\"PureVPN is a leading VPN service provider that excels in providing easy solutions for online privacy and security. With 6000+ servers in 65+ countries, It helps consumers and businesses in keeping their online identity secured.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Purevpncom\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/puresquarecom\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/twitter.com\/PureVPNcom\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/author\/admin\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding - PureVPN Blog","description":"Learn about the potential security risks & vulnerabilities associated with port forwarding & how to protect yourself from them.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding","og_description":"Port forwarding is a technique that allows external devices to access services or applications on a private network. While it can be a valuable tool for","og_url":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/","og_site_name":"PUREVPN","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PureVPNcom","article_published_time":"2025-03-13T10:20:47+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-03-13T10:21:43+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1350,"height":296,"url":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Your-paragraph-text-48.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@purevpncom","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/"},"author":{"name":"PureVPN","@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc53b29b9a43672fb4000f6cf1362280"},"headline":"What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding","datePublished":"2025-03-13T10:20:47+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-13T10:21:43+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/"},"wordCount":901,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Your-paragraph-text-48.png","inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/","url":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/","name":"What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding - PureVPN Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Your-paragraph-text-48.png","datePublished":"2025-03-13T10:20:47+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-13T10:21:43+00:00","description":"Learn about the potential security risks & vulnerabilities associated with port forwarding & how to protect yourself from them.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Your-paragraph-text-48.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Your-paragraph-text-48.png","width":1350,"height":296,"caption":"dangers of port forwarding"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/dangers-of-port-forwarding\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/au\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"What are the Dangers of Port Forwarding"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/","name":"PUREVPN","description":"PUREVPN","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#organization"},"alternateName":"PUREVPN","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#organization","name":"PureVPN","alternateName":"PureVPN","url":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/logo-coloured.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/logo-coloured.png","width":256,"height":46,"caption":"PureVPN"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PureVPNcom","https:\/\/x.com\/purevpncom","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/purevpn","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/purevpn","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/PureVPN"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc53b29b9a43672fb4000f6cf1362280","name":"PureVPN","description":"PureVPN is a leading VPN service provider that excels in providing easy solutions for online privacy and security. With 6000+ servers in 65+ countries, It helps consumers and businesses in keeping their online identity secured.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Purevpncom\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/puresquarecom\/","https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/twitter.com\/PureVPNcom"],"url":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/blog\/author\/admin"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/401169"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=401169"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/401169\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":691136,"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/401169\/revisions\/691136"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/401172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=401169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"blog_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog_category?post=401169"},{"taxonomy":"blog_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purevpn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog_tag?post=401169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}