How To Better Secure RDP On Your Network (And Why It Matters)

Here we will explore common methods for securing internet-accessible Microsoft remote desktop systems (RDP & RDS); explain associated drawbacks or vulnerabilities; and present a simpler and more secure method for remote computer access.

If you haven’t read anything relating to CVE-2019-0708, be advised: Microsoft found a new, serious security flaw in their Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Microsoft patched the issue with their latest security release, so if you’ve already installed it, you already have some additional protection.

In fact, Microsoft took the highly unusual step of extending patch protection to older operating systems that haven’t received support for years. That’s a very good thing, because the newly discovered vulnerability was found to impact the following operating systems:
• Windows 2003
• Windows XP
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 R2

If you currently have systems running these older operating systems, it’s been so long since you’ve been on the receiving end of a security patch that you may not even be aware that one’s available. If that’s the case, head to Microsoft’s website to get the latest today.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that RDP has been the target of hacker interest and it certainly won’t be the last.

In fact, according to a recently released FBI bulletin, hackers increasingly exploit a raft of vulnerabilities inherent in RDP’s design. That’s bad news for business owners everywhere, no matter what industry you’re in.

Consider just a few of the impacts your company could face if your network is successfully breached via RDP, RDS or some other means:
• The average cost of a data breach in 2018 was a staggering $3.86 million and that figure is rising at an alarming rate.
• If you are successfully breached and your data is deleted, your business is shut down entirely until you can recover.
• If any data is stolen, you put your relationships with both clients and customers at risk. Customers may simply stop doing business with you, and clients may stop returning your calls because the breach is a sign that you can’t be trusted. Your company just isn’t worth the risk of doing business with.

Any one of these constitutes a major blow. Odds are you’ll be facing all three which will impact your company for months, if not years to come.

The good news is that there’s something you can do about it. There are quite a few solutions on the web that can help secure RDP and they vary in their cost and complexity. However, one proven, robust and reliable solution that you can implement today, is TruGrid Secure RDP. And they have a FREE version too. Here are just a few of the benefits the system offers:
1) With TruGrid Secure RDP, you don’t have to open ports on your firewall for an RDP connection.
2) The system masks your company’s network. Hackers can’t attack what they can’t find, so this reduces your risk by default.
3) With TruGrid, MFA (multi-factor authentication)—also called Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), which is one form of MFA– is mandatory and implemented by default which makes your logins much more secure.
4) The system has an integrated dark web scanning function which provides an added layer of security by alerting you as soon as stolen credentials appear on the dark side of the internet.

Given how vulnerable RDP is to hacking, this is not something you want to take any chances with. You can sign up for TruGrid Secure RDP for FREE at https://www.trugrid.com/home#Features.

Click here to setup your free trial of TruGrid today and secure your own Microsoft RDS environment.

Reference: How To Secure Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and Remote Desktop Services (RDS)