Mitigating RDP Exploits

By Greg Dietrich, VP – Customer Success – HiveIO Inc.

At the height of the 2020 pandemic, over 4.5 million unsecured RDP endpoints were accessible on the internet. This alarming figure, based on McAfee’s findings, painted RDP with a massive target. It’s no wonder threats actors turned their attention there. Implementing robust secure RDP strategies are more critical than ever.

Exploiting the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) has long been a popular method for spreading malicious content. Furthermore, no respite is expected any time soon. Common exploitation methods include Denial of Service (DoS), personal data exploitation, and, more recently, Venus Ransomware. RDP remains a cornerstone for remote system access solutions. Therefore, you should not simply avoid it, as some industry technologists suggest. Instead, you must use it smartly. Ensure the technologies you employ do not worsen the problem. HiveIO offers advanced RDP security solutions designed for modern threats.

Essential Strategies for Secure RDP Access

Of course, the first and most obvious protection against unwanted RDP guest access is avoiding direct internet exposure. Additionally, simply changing the default RDP port is an ineffective mitigation strategy. Attackers utilize technologies to identify open protocols and ports. Thus, merely hiding the port simply will not suffice for true RDP security.

VPN software can be a viable alternative for securing remote access. Depending on the implementation, it can be effective. However, even VPNs are not infallible. They can leave your organization exposed to a multitude of additional threats. These go beyond those associated with RDP itself. A key security rule states: security is only as good as the weakest link. Unfortunately, this weakest link is often your end-user and their computer. This highlights the vital need for a comprehensive RDP security solution.

Enhancing RDP Security with Native Microsoft Features

Experts encourage using native Microsoft features to enhance RDP security. These include enabling available Active Directory (AD) Group Policy Objects (GPO) settings. GPOs protect against RDP exploitation. Commonly used GPOs restrict automatic reconnections and the number of connections. They also manage the keep-alive interval for connections. Other GPOs specify required security for remote connections. They also control who can modify remote access permissions. Best practice suggests thoroughly evaluating any changes. This helps mitigate RDP exploitation prior to production use. These GPO settings are vital components of a robust RDP security framework, reinforcing your secure RDP posture.

HiveIO’s Multi-Layered Approach to Secure RDP

HiveIO has always maintained a clear stance: DO NOT expose direct RDP to the internet. For our remote connectivity, Hive Fabric secures access using a combined firewall and gateway configuration. This multilayered approach offers superior RDP security for your virtualized environment.

HiveIO protects access to our virtual desktops with several critical layers:

• Active Directory (AD) Authentication: We seamlessly integrate with your existing AD for robust user verification.
• 2FA/MFA: Multi-Factor Authentication adds a critical second layer of defense, making unauthorized access significantly harder.
• User-Based Rights: Remote access to the desktop is precisely controlled by granular user permissions, adhering to the principle of least privilege.
• Randomized Transient Port Access: We employ dynamic, randomized ports for connections, making it far more difficult for attackers to target specific endpoints.
• Optional Source IP Lockdown: Authentication and RDP sessions can be restricted to accepting connections from the same IP address requesting the desktop initially, adding an extra layer of access control.

This comprehensive, multilayered approach has proven highly successful. It effectively mitigates attacks on our virtualized desktops. Furthermore, it is lightweight, highly scalable, and redundant, ensuring continuous and secure RDP operations. HiveIO delivers a truly robust and secure RDP environment, empowering businesses with confidence in their remote access strategies against evolving cyber threats.