Full form of SMB is “Server Message Block”
What is SMB?
SMB is a network file and resource-sharing protocol that uses a client-server model. SMB clients such as PCs on a network connect to SMB servers to access resources such as files and directories or perform tasks like printing over the network.
How SMB works?
At a high-level SMB communication is easy to understand. SMB clients connect to an SMB server using the SMB port to access SMB shares. Once they access the SMB shares, clients can do things such as collaborate on files without downloading them to their machines or print using a networked printer.
What is an SMB client?
An SMB client is the device that accesses resources on an SMB server. For example, within a corporate network, the user PCs that access a shared drive are SMB clients.
What is an SMB Server?
An SMB server is the network server- or cluster of servers- where SMB shares are stored. The SMB server grants or denies SMB clients access to shared resources.
What is an SMB share?
An SMB share also known as SMB file share, is simply a shared resource on an SMB server. Often, an SMB share is a directory, but it can be any shared resource. For example, network printers are often shared using SMB.
Is SMB Secure?
Whether or not SMB is secure depends on your version and implementation. Generally speaking, SMB today is a highly secure protocol. For modern SMB implementations, here are some key takeaways for securing SMB: