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COVID-19 has forced many employees, including IT staff, to work from home. But questions continue to arise as to whether the increase in remote working is prioritizing information security. Many companies already use the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to access their systems and servers remotely. RDP enables IT departments to remotely and efficiently manage Windows systems. But poorly secured or unprotected RDP endpoints can also provide easy access to bad actors.
What is RDP?
The Remote Desktop protocol allows remote employees to view and use Windows on a device in a separate location. Imagine connecting remotely to your work computer via your home computer or laptop; once connected, you can control your desktop as if you were sitting in front of it.
With a remote office, you don't have to worry about a pandemic or inclement weather away from the office. Essentially, you and your employees can still work at home or while traveling, and it will be as if you were at the office with your computer and your normal applications.
Benefits of RDP
Several advantages make Remote Desktop a great choice for organizations of all sizes:
Increase in productivity – Remote desktop access allows employees worldwide to access their computers. This RDP access ultimately increases productivity and helps prevent common problems that can arise when employees work remotely – such as not having enough computing power or not having access to the files they need.
Additional savings – Using Remote Desktop means that you can adopt a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy for workers who are away from the office, which will save you money that would normally have gone into supplying additional laptops or cellphones. They simply use their home device to connect to their work computer.
Access control – Remote Desktop lets you access your desktop data from anywhere in the world, giving you better control over valuable data. You don't need employees to copy files to flash drives, send them via email, or other potentially insecure means to share data outside of your network.
But how do you provide remote desktop access – and more importantly, how do you secure your Windows remote access and make sure you know who is accessing the desktops?
How to use RDP safely
You can use the Microsoft Remote Desktop application to connect to a remote PC or to virtual applications and desktops. By default, this application grants access to your computer on the local network. To access it from anywhere, you configure port forwarding or use a VPN, such as VPNOnlineFree Access Server.
To securely access a Remote Desktop connection for your homeworkers, use a VPN. They connect with a VPN client, which connects them to the local network. None of your Remote Desktop connections need to be transferred or opened to the public Internet. Instead, the VPN connection encrypts traffic and grants secure access to the employees' computers in the office. It's safer than exposing the Remote Desktop server to the Internet.
Learn more about RDP
Remote desktop is a great tool that many businesses today need to work remotely, and doing so securely could mean saving millions of dollars by preventing a data breach.
We are hosting a live demo on May 13 at 10:00 am PDT to explore the importance of RDP and how VPNOnlineFree Access Server can help you. Join us to find out how to configure Remote Desktop with Access Server.
Register today!
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