Internet TCP port 8080 is commonly used as an alternate port for HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol). It is often utilized by web servers and application servers that are configured to avoid using the standard HTTP port 80. For example, Apache Tomcat, an open-source implementation of the Java Servlet, JavaServer Pages, Java Expression Language, and Java WebSocket technologies, uses port 8080 as its default HTTP connector port. Similarly, the GlassFish Server, a reference implementation of Java EE, also uses port 8080 by default.
TCP port 8080 is commonly used for internet web services and can be a potential point of exploitation. In the past, hackers have exploited this port to gain unauthorized access to systems by using it as a proxy server to hide their identity. They have also used it to launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, causing the server to become unavailable to its intended users. Additionally, malware can be programmed to communicate with its command and control servers over port 8080, as it is often left open to allow web traffic. Lastly, hackers have exploited vulnerabilities in software running on this port to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
