Working remotely has become the norm for many professionals. And making this work-from-anywhere lifestyle possible is remote desktop protocol (RDP)—a way to securely access company resources from afar. But convenience comes with risks if the proper precautions aren‘t taken.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll leverage my 12+ years as a cybersecurity consultant to demystify RDP security for remote employees. You‘ll learn what RDP is, where it‘s vulnerable, and how to use it safely based on real-world examples and insider tips.
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Demystifying RDP: How Remote Desktop Protocol Works
Before diving into RDP security, it helps to understand exactly what the protocol does behind the scenes.
At a basic level, RDP allows you to control a remote computer from your own device. For instance, an accountant can use RDP to access the finance server at the office from her home laptop as if she was sitting in front of it directly.
But how does it work under the hood? There‘s a complex process happening behind that simple remote connection:
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Your device sends a request to the remote server you want to access.
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The server checks your device settings and configures appropriate connections.
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After validating your credentials and permissions, the server creates virtual channels for carrying data.
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Graphics, keyboard/mouse inputs, and other data is packaged and encrypted through these channels.
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On your side, a compatible RDP client decrypts this data so you can interact with the remote desktop.
RDP supports many features we take for granted like printer and audio redirection, drive mapping, and Clipboard. The wide range of functionality is what makes it such a versatile protocol for remote access compared to alternatives like VNC.
Now let‘s get into the main event: securing those nifty RDP capabilities from cyber attacks.
RDP Usage Has Exploded…And So Have Threats
RDP served IT admins well for decades before remote work went mainstream. But COVID-19 turned RDP from an obscure protocol into a household name—whether employees realized it or not.
Consider these statistics:
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41% increase in worldwide RDP usage in the first few weeks of pandemic lockdowns.
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192% jump in exposed RDP ports between May 2019 and May 2020.
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93% of observed ransomware attacks in 2020 involved brute forcing RDP.
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At least 170,000 vulnerable RDP servers exposed online as of 2021.
Cybercriminals took notice of the sudden shift to remote work and started aggressively targeting RDP to infiltrate networks. Between brute force attacks, cryptomining, ransomware deployment, and data theft, improperly secured RDP poses multiple dangers.
Let‘s examine some real-world examples of what can go wrong.
Cautionary Tales: Major Breaches Via RDP
Prominent companies like LG, Bombardier, and Canon fell victim to cyber attacks last year due to RDP vulnerabilities:
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LG experienced a data breach impacting its users‘ personal information after threat actors compromised over 1,000 employee accounts using brute forced RDP credentials.
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Bombardier had sensitive aerospace designs and documents stolen when attackers exploited weak RDP passwords and multi-factor authentication.
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The Canon breach began with RDP access leading to 30TB of data exfiltration, highlighting the extensive access RDP provides.
These examples hammer home just how vital it is to button up RDP security. So what exactly should you do to avoid becoming the next headline?
Securing RDP in 9 Essential Ways
Properly configuring and governing RDP drastically reduces the risks. Here are 9 best practices every remote worker should follow:
1. Mandate Strong Credentials
Weak passwords are cybercriminals‘ easiest way to infiltrate RDP. Enforce password complexity and minimum length policies across your organization.
Better yet, ditch passwords for strong multi-factor or even multi-modal authentication. Combining a password with biometrics and security keys protects against brute force attacks.
2. Limit Login Attempts
You don‘t want attackers endlessly guessing credentials. Restrict maximum failed login attempts to 3-5 before locking out the account.Slow down rapid-fire login requests by implementing account lockout periods.
3. Minimize Access
Don‘t make your entire organization an all-access pass. Restrict RDP to only users that truly require it based on their roles. Segment access to sensitive resources.
4. Monitor Usage
Auditing and logging RDP access provides visibility into potential threats. Watch for unusual outbound data transfers, traffic spikes, and logins from suspicious locations.
5. Isolate Connections
Designate specific hardened servers as RDP gateways, rather than allowing connections directly to user workstations and critical infrastructure.
6. Encrypt Transmissions
Mandate the use of VPN services like WireGuard or OpenVPN to encrypt RDP connections, preventing data interception.
7. Patch Aggressively
Cybercriminals love exploiting known flaws. Eliminate these openings by promptly applying patches for operating systems, remote access software, and other network components.
8. Whitelist Addresses
When possible, restrict source IP addresses permitted to establish RDP sessions. This limits exposure to the open internet.
9. Educate Employees
Training remote workers on proper cyber hygiene and secure practices for tools like RDP will help minimize human error. Learning is the best medicine.
RDP breaches typically involve some combination of weak credentials, excessive permissions, and lack of monitoring. Consistently implementing measures like the above makes life much harder for attackers.
Alternatives to RDP Do Exist…With Tradeoffs
If your use case permits it, you may want to consider alternatives to RDP that prioritize usability over security:
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Remote Desktop Web Access – Provides RDP capability securely through a web browser. Limited functionality compared to full RDP clients.
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VNC – Allows remote desktop control using common protocols like RFB. Downsides are performance issues and no built-in encryption.
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Chrome Remote Desktop – Easy remote assistance from anywhere. Seamlessly integrates with ChromeOS and browsers. But it is a proprietary Google solution.
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SSH – Encrypted terminal access rather than complete remote desktop environment. Great for securely running remote commands and scripts.
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FTP – Simple and efficient file transfers rather than full desktop access. Good for data exchanges but lacks real-time remote interactivity.
The tradeoffs mean native RDP remains the most versatile, fully-featured option for environments that handle sensitive data. Taking the proper security precautions allows employees to use RDP without compromising security.
Key Takeaways for Using RDP Securely
Given the prevalence of remote work, RDP isn‘t going away anytime soon. Here are the key lessons for using it safely:
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Mandate strong multi-factor authentication to prevent brute force credential attacks.
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Limit RDP access only to users that truly require it. Never expose RDP directly to the internet.
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Aggressively patch and update RDP servers, gateways, clients and other software across your infrastructure.
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Closely monitor RDP usage with logging and reporting to identify abnormalities.
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Isolate RDP gateways from critical systems and encrypt connections via VPN.
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Continuously train remote employees on secure practices for tools like RDP.
With the right precautions, RDP can be safely leveraged by remote workers to stay productive. Just don‘t neglect due diligence in securing and governing remote access.
