Control your computer from anywhere—at home, in coffee shops, or on a vacation in the Bahamas—with modern-day superhero remote desktop software. But, like all superheroes, remote desktop software has its weak points. If you’re not too careful, it’s the equivalent of leaving your front door wide open with a neon sign: “Hey, come rob me!”So, how do you make sure that your data is safe and secure while using remote software? Alright, let’s go ahead and give you the low-down on remote access in a fast-shot manner, so come along on this take-off because we won’t be pulling any punches to make sure your security is still being secured while floating on cloud nine.
So, What the Heck is Remote Desktop Software?
For the uninitiated, remote desktop software is a tool that essentially does what it says on the tin: allows you to use one computer from another by accessing its display as if you were sitting in front of it. From working on files to running software or fetching information from another machine, you name it, and this is what makes remote desktop software so convenient. It’s like a tech sorcerer who, rather than clad in a robe and wielding a wand to cast spells from afar, does so using spellbinding strokes on the keys of his keyboard.
It’s very helpful but also a bit dangerous. The internet is full of assholes, and they think alike! This means that data sent over remote desktop connections can be intercepted by any parties with malicious intentions or vulnerabilities in their connection method.
1. Implement Robust Passwords (And No, ‘Password123’ Is Not Suitable!)
It might sound stupidly obvious, but by far the best way that you can protect your site from a hacker is protecting something else — your password. And if you’re using passwords like “password123” or “123456”, it’s R-U-N-O-F-T time. Even hackers have no problem guessing weak passwords.
Rather than that, use long and complicated passwords. A mix of upper and lower case characters, digits, and special characters. For example, “G#t3rP@nd@!” Please note that this would be quite hard to crack compared to “password123.”
Password Managers — Your Best Friend Here (Pro Tip)
Password managers will create passwords for you and store them safely so that you do not need to remember all the random characters. No excuses!
2. Extra Layer is Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
In terms of locking down your remote desktop access, two-factor authentication (2FA) is the equivalent of putting an additional lock on your door, and then [locking that one twice for safe measure]. 2FA further complicates our password-dependent access points because if someone does guess your password, they would still need a second piece of identification to get in, such as the code sent to your phone or through email.
For a lot of remote desktop software solutions (such as TeamViewer, AnyDesk, and Chrome Remote Desktop), 2FA is supported, so enable it. It might take you a couple more seconds to log in, but it’s so worth it when considering that you’ve installed another serious checkpoint to prevent unauthorized entry.
3. Encrypt Your Connection
It’s like putting your data into a tunnel. Anytime you use remote desktop software, your information travels over the internet. Encrypt your data — all communication from your computer to the website goes through a network, and if it is not encrypted, you run the risk of anyone with enough know-how reading all that information passing between both points.
Happily, these days the overwhelming majority of remote desktop tools encrypt your communication. If you find this inconvenient: fine, but please verify that encryption is enabled in your software settings because, let’s face it — not all heroes wear capes, and definitely not every application will already encrypt your data.
Look for AES 256-bit encryption and TLS encryption, which are the protocols with the highest security. If these are enabled, then good for you!
4. Caution from Public Wi-Fi Networks
You know, public Wi-Fi — the bread and butter of coffee shops, airports, and libraries everywhere. Yes, public Wi-Fi is great, but it’s also dangerous. At a busy café on an open network, trying to use your remote desktop? Who knows who is going to be sitting in front of you, sipping their latte, and eavesdropping on your connection? Creepy, right?
Be sure to always use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) when using remote desktop software on public Wi-Fi. A VPN will encrypt all the traffic from your device to the internet, making it much more difficult for anyone in between you and that website to read or intercept it.
If you feel like a tech ninja in a coffee shop while working and have to use some remote desktop software, do not forget to use a VPN.
5. Keep Your Software Up To Date
Software updates are the unsexy yet essential part of tech life. It may not be fun to go through, but if you put it off, things could get messy!
One of the reasons software updates are so important is that developers release them to address bugs, security vulnerabilities, and sometimes new functionality. When you use an older version of your remote desktop software, new security threats will emerge, and your system will remain exposed to them. It’s like opening up your front door and letting some wind in — but all that air is carrying malware.
Ensure that you update your remote desktop software! If at all possible, have automatic updates turned on, and if you see one of those little “Update Available” messages, don’t ignore it.
6. Add Tight Restrictions on User Access
It’s crucial to control who can connect to your remote desktop, especially when you’re running a business or sharing the server with others. Surely, everyone doesn’t need to have full admin permission? Probably not.
You can most often set which user role has what permissions in each remote desktop software, so feel free to do this and give the least access possible needed for someone who does their job. This may mean a colleague only needs to view information, not have access to make changes or install software.
Pro Tip: Rather than using a single username, create user accounts for each person who will log in. This allows you to keep a record of who is doing what — and if anything breaks, the only person at fault will be YOU (not really).
7. There Are Also Firewalls Available for Even More Protection
Think of a firewall as your computer system’s digital bouncer. The purpose of it is to filter all incoming and outgoing traffic, stopping anything that shouldn’t have happened. If you use remote desktop software, be sure to turn on your firewall. A really good firewall may prevent hackers from attempting to access through open ports or unauthorized connections.
Remote desktop software almost always works on certain ports, and changing those is NOT recommended. Make sure to have only the required open ports, and if feasible, use IP whitelisting such that the system is accessible only from trusted IPs.
8. Log Out After You’re Done
The call to the habit is strong — it can be tempting to just close a remote desktop session since, who knows when you might need it again. But honestly, it’s the equivalent of not locking your door and putting a sign on your front lawn: “Come, get free cookies.” After you’ve finished, sign out of your session entirely.
This is a critical feature, particularly when using a remote desktop from a shared or public computer. And make sure to end your session when you’re all done — don’t just close the window or minimize it. Log off!
Conclusion: Remain Astute and Use Security Measures
There are many benefits to using remote desktop software — just be very careful before you start. It’s not very tough to protect your data from the strangers who you are allowing access to your home networks by using remote desktop protocol implementation. Use strong passwords, and two-step verification, and encrypt your connection over the VPN while still respecting public Wi-Fi. Remember too, to keep your software up-to-date and restrict access only to those who need it.
With these steps, you can keep your data almost as secure as a password manager behind a safe in the vault. And last but not least: your data is gold — so why neglect it? This is not a free-for-all buffet to be nibbled at by everyone. Guard it with the fervor of protecting the last slice of pizza — because that’s likely what you are being too lax about.