How safe is Remote desktop web connection

S

stackoverflow

Contributor
Hello,

I am planning to install remote desktop web connection so that I can access my PC over the web.

I would like to know how safe is it - Will this open my machine to hackers?
 
Should be safe as long as you have a strong password and you keep your OS updated regularly... I have SSH and Remote Desktop enabled myself :)

Also you can try changing the default remote desktop port 3389 to some custom value (I'm not sure Windows supports that, the clients at least)...

Plus, if you know where you are going to access it from (the IP address/domain is fixed) you can set that in firewall (XP or modem) options to only allow incoming connections on port 3389 from those IPs...
 
For Remote Desktop Web Connection would suggest you enable SSL and if you are on W2K3 server create few certificates, or get it from some known certificate authority like Thwate, SecureSign, TC TrustCenter etc......
 
Its should be relatively alright if you have a good password or else better would be to put VNC and access it through a SSH tunnel.

Read here & here

andrew327 said:
For Remote Desktop Web Connection would suggest you enable SSL and if you are on W2K3 server create few certificates, or get it from some known certificate authority like Thwate, SecureSign, TC TrustCenter etc......
Click to expand...

Do you how much they cost? He is talking about a home connection here not corporate one.
 
Very very unsafe.

Better use product like crossloop or VNC.

Making certificate & get it from Verisign is costly deal, One would not do just for a desktop.
 
it's safe as already mentioned by Vishal and others.

Though if you want to use at co-corporate level I would suggest create a VPN tunnel and use VNC and alike s/w
 
Praks said:
Very very unsafe.

Better use product like crossloop or VNC.

Making certificate & get it from Verisign is costly deal, One would not do just for a desktop.
Click to expand...

IMO VNC is crap in comparison with Remote Desktop.

But you mentioned you are going to use Remote Desktop Web Connection.. well that is crap too. Use the normal Remote Desktop Connection. Using the web part you will have to tighten your IIS's security. Just use simple RDC you will be
good to go !! And also RDC is more bandwidth friendly.
 
Why not use the remote desktop built into Live Mesh? It is secure and takes care of the web part of remote desktop.

Remote desktop in Windows is excellent too (Vista and above), but you'd need to know the IP (or use dynamic dns) to use it effectively. Live mesh gets around all those issues.
 
djmykey said:
IMO VNC is crap in comparison with Remote Desktop.

But you mentioned you are going to use Remote Desktop Web Connection.. well that is crap too. Use the normal Remote Desktop Connection. Using the web part you will have to tighten your IIS's security. Just use simple RDC you will be
good to go !! And also RDC is more bandwidth friendly.
Click to expand...

My requirement is that my desktop will be exposed using BSNL dataone -and I am going to use Remote desktop client over internet to access my desktop.

Hence RDC can't work here.
 
KingKrool said:
Why not use the remote desktop built into Live Mesh? It is secure and takes care of the web part of remote desktop.
Remote desktop in Windows is excellent too (Vista and above), but you'd need to know the IP (or use dynamic dns) to use it effectively. Live mesh gets around all those issues.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info abt LiveMesh

Using livemesh can I access my host desktop even if I am say 1000 miles apart through internet?

Is this completely secure, will it compromise my security in any way - since I have some imp data on my desktop

I already have a firewall - zonealarm -

Also since the IP keeps changing (BSNL dataone) - will that not be a problem with livemesh?

any other important info abt livemesh is welcome.
 
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