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NetBIOS (Network Basic Input/Output System) is an API and session layer service that enables communication between computers on a local area network (LAN). It provides core networking functions like registering and resolving computer names, and establishing connections for data transfer between devices. While historically important and still present in many systems for backward compatibility, NetBIOS is now considered a legacy protocol, often running over TCP/IP (as NBT), and is largely replaced by more secure and modern protocols like DNS.

Key functions

Name resolution: Allows computers on a network to find and identify each other by name.

Session establishment: Sets up a reliable connection between two computers for sending data.

Datagram communication: Enables fast, but unreliable, sending of datagrams (messages) between machines.

Modern relevance and security

Legacy support: Modern operating systems like Windows include NetBIOS for compatibility with older applications and systems.

Security risk: Due to its design, NetBIOS can be a security vulnerability, especially in modern networks, as it can be exploited for tasks like network enumeration and credential harvesting.

Replacement: For most modern networks, NetBIOS functionality has been replaced by more secure and efficient protocols such as DNS for name resolution and SMB (Server Message Block) for file sharing.