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Enabling Remote Desktop

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by k.grass

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My question: How secure is the RDP protocol in a workgroup environment that is behind NAT and firewalled at every workstation?

I ask this question because I've read about how some of the services running in Windows XP and Windows 2000 can be a potential avenue of attack. Is port 3389 one of these when these services are enabled? And if so how do I protect them against intruders trying to gain access through them? TIA, Ken G.

5 replies

by house

If you are using it internally, you should be fine.
Block the port at the internet access point.

If it is for remote management for your server through the internet, create a vpn and tunnel with the appropriate security and encryption settings between client and server.

by scottsman

You can also increase the encryption to HIGH to provide 128bit encryption. Additionally it is not a bad idea to do a reg hack and change the well know port 3389 to something else... note that if you try to use windows 98/2000 to connect after doing this you have to download the latest remote desktop client from ms.

The reg hack info is found here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q306759

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