Port 8200: Vault
Port 8200 is the default API port for HashiCorp Vault, a tool for storing and tightly controlling access to secrets like API keys and certificates. Production Vault deployments are expected to serve this port over TLS.
| Port number | 8200 |
|---|---|
| Service | HashiCorp Vault API |
| Protocol | TCP |
| Category | Infrastructure & orchestration |
| Default encryption | No |
How do I check whether port 8200 is open?
Port 8200 carries TCP, so a connection either completes its handshake or it does not, which makes the check definitive.
| Question | Command | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Is it open on a remote host? | nc -vz example.com 8200 | A TCP handshake either completes or it does not, so netcat gives a definitive answer in one line. |
| Same check on Windows | Test-NetConnection example.com -Port 8200 | Built into PowerShell. TcpTestSucceeded in the output is the answer; telnet is not installed by default on modern Windows. |
| What is listening locally? | ss -tlnp | grep ':8200 ' | Lists the process bound to port 8200 on Linux. On macOS use lsof -nP -iTCP:8200 -sTCP:LISTEN, on Windows netstat -ano | findstr :8200 |
Replace example.com with the host you are testing. A blocked port and a port with nothing listening on it look identical from the outside, so if a service should be running, check locally before blaming the firewall.
Frequently asked questions
What is port 8200 used for?
Port 8200 is the default API port for HashiCorp Vault, a tool for storing and tightly controlling access to secrets like API keys and certificates. Production Vault deployments are expected to serve this port over TLS.
Is port 8200 TCP or UDP?
Port 8200 (Vault) uses TCP.
Is port 8200 secure?
Port 8200 is not encrypted by default. Where possible, use an encrypted alternative or tunnel it over TLS or a VPN.
Should I open port 8200 on my firewall?
Only if you specifically need Vault. Expose it to the smallest set of trusted sources, and never open database or Windows-service ports to the whole internet.