Service: igi-lm (Infinite Graphics License Manager)
Port: 1404
Protocols: TCP and UDP
Category: Registered Port (1024-49151)
Port 1404 is officially registered with IANA for IGI-LM—the license manager for Infinite Graphics Incorporated software.1
What This Port Does
Port 1404 handles license verification for Infinite Graphics software products. When someone launches an IGI CAD/CAM application, the software checks in with a license server on port 1404 to verify it has permission to run. No response, no software.
This is how commercial software enforces licenses. The application asks "am I allowed to run?" and the license server on port 1404 answers "yes" or "no." It's a bouncer for software.
The Company Behind the Port
Infinite Graphics Inc (IGI) has been around since 1969, starting with photolithography—creating photomasks and reticles for manufacturing.2 In 1983, they introduced their first PC-based CAD/CAM system for precision graphics applications.3
IGI's software portfolio includes tools for electrical testing, automated solder paste stencil design, panel layout, and design-for-manufacturing analysis. These are specialized industrial applications—the kind of software that costs thousands of dollars and needs license enforcement.
In 2019, IGI licensed much of their software portfolio to other companies, but their license manager infrastructure remains part of the registered port system.3
Why License Managers Use Dedicated Ports
Software license managers typically use their own registered ports rather than well-known ports for a few reasons:
- Isolation — License traffic doesn't interfere with other services
- Firewall configuration — Admins can control license server access precisely
- Multiple vendors — Different companies can run separate license servers without conflict
Every major software vendor with expensive tools has their own license manager port. FLEXlm, Sentinel, RLM—they all claimed their own numbers in the registered port range.4
Security Considerations
Some sources flag port 1404 as potentially associated with malware,5 but this doesn't mean the port itself is dangerous. It means that like any port, malicious software could theoretically use it for communication.
In legitimate use, port 1404 should only be accessible to:
- Machines running IGI software that need license verification
- The license server itself
If you're not running Infinite Graphics software and see traffic on port 1404, investigate. It shouldn't be active.
Checking What's Listening
To see if anything is listening on port 1404 on your system:
Linux/macOS:
Windows:
If something is listening and you don't have IGI software installed, that's worth investigating.
The Registered Port Range
Port 1404 belongs to the registered ports range (1024-49151). These ports are assigned by IANA to specific services upon request.1 Unlike well-known ports (0-1023) which require root privileges, registered ports can be used by regular applications.
Companies register ports to avoid conflicts and establish a standard way for their software components to communicate. IGI registered 1404 so that every installation of their license manager would use the same port, making firewall configuration and technical support predictable.
Why Obscure Ports Matter
Most people will never encounter port 1404. But somewhere, a manufacturing facility's CAD workstation is checking in on this port every time someone opens the solder paste stencil software. A photomask designer's license is being verified. A precision graphics workflow depends on this numbered door being available.
The Internet's port system isn't just HTTP and HTTPS. It's tens of thousands of specialized services, each with their own door number, carrying traffic that keeps specific industries running. Port 1404 is one of those doors—obscure to most, essential to some.
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