# What is Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Security?

> Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) security is the protection of remote interactive Windows sessions, their clients, hosts, credentials, gateways, and network paths.

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## Content

It enables remote desktop control and can provide extensive administrative access. Security therefore depends on restricting reachability, authenticating strongly, limiting privilege, hardening every component, and monitoring session use.

RDP should not be exposed directly to the public internet. Where required, place it behind an access service, restrict sources and destinations, and treat the remote endpoint and session as high impact.

### Key points

- **Exposure reduction:** Disable RDP where unnecessary; inventory permitted hosts; use a secured gateway, virtual private network, or zero trust path; filter reachability; and segment administrative targets.
- **Identity and credential protection:** Require multi-factor authentication before access, enable Network Level Authentication, use named least-privilege accounts, restrict privileged logon, and protect credentials from being left on remote hosts.
- **Hardening and monitoring:** Patch clients, servers, and gateways; use trusted Transport Layer Security certificates; set lockout or throttling controls; log connections and failures; and investigate brute force, unusual sources, and lateral movement.
- **Important limitation:** Changing the default port, enabling encryption, or requiring Network Level Authentication does not make internet-exposed RDP safe. Stolen credentials, session abuse, vulnerable software, excessive privilege, and compromised clients or gateways can still defeat the access path.

### Related terms

[Network security](<https://yellowcube.eu/glossary/network-security/>) · [Zero trust network access (ZTNA)](<https://yellowcube.eu/glossary/zero-trust-network-access/>) · [Multi-factor authentication (MFA)](<https://yellowcube.eu/glossary/multi-factor-authentication/>) · [Network segmentation](<https://yellowcube.eu/glossary/network-segmentation/>) · [Virtual private network (VPN)](<https://yellowcube.eu/glossary/virtual-private-network/>)

### Sources

[CISA, #StopRansomware Guide](https://www.cisa.gov/stopransomware/ransomware-guide) · [Microsoft, Use Certificates in Remote Desktop Services](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/remote-desktop-services-certificates) · [NIST SP 800-46 Rev. 2, Guide to Enterprise Telework, Remote Access, and BYOD Security](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/46/r2/final)

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