Is Remote Web Connection Secure in XP?

26 Sep 2006 9:58 PM

Nate Networker

Can anyone tell me if connecting to an XP Pro box via the web using web
connection (and remote desktop) is secure?

I am asking for 2 reasons: 1) I have not been able to get XP's VPN server
to work. (I think that's because my linksys router has some issues)

2) I was told that remote desktop was not secure at all..

I am trying to setup a remote connection that is a secure connection for
free (if possible)

Any ideas?

Thanks

27 Sep 2006 10:29 AM

Sooner Al [MVP]

Its encrypted by default but in a "client compatible" mode meaning 64-bit
clients like a PocketPC will connect at 64-bits (the PPC can't do 128-bit)
and XP clients will connect at 128-bits for example. You should use a
"strong" password...

Personally I always set a group policy on my XP Pro and Vista machines to
"high" so every connection is at 128-bits. Of course I also run Remote
Desktop through an OpenVPN tunnel (I use cert/key files protected by a
strong password for authentication). I have done the same through a SSH
tunnel (again with a private/public key pair protected by a strong password
for authentication)...

Here is a SSH method you may find helpful...

http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.org/Ssh/RemoteDesktopSSH.html

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...

Show quoteHide quote

"Nate Networker" <NateNetwor***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1E6E75F3-A592-4F0F-AD86-D69F311DAE0F@microsoft.com...
> Can anyone tell me if connecting to an XP Pro box via the web using web
> connection (and remote desktop) is secure?
>
> I am asking for 2 reasons: 1) I have not been able to get XP's VPN server
> to work. (I think that's because my linksys router has some issues)
>
> 2) I was told that remote desktop was not secure at all..
>
> I am trying to setup a remote connection that is a secure connection for
> free (if possible)
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks

27 Sep 2006 8:38 PM

Nate

Al, thanks for responding. I did some searching before I posted my question.
I couldn't find any info. Where did you find info about 64-bit/128-bit
encryption?

Thanks for the SSH method.

Nate

Show quoteHide quote

"Sooner Al [MVP]" wrote:

> Its encrypted by default but in a "client compatible" mode meaning 64-bit
> clients like a PocketPC will connect at 64-bits (the PPC can't do 128-bit)
> and XP clients will connect at 128-bits for example. You should use a
> "strong" password...
>
> Personally I always set a group policy on my XP Pro and Vista machines to
> "high" so every connection is at 128-bits. Of course I also run Remote
> Desktop through an OpenVPN tunnel (I use cert/key files protected by a
> strong password for authentication). I have done the same through a SSH
> tunnel (again with a private/public key pair protected by a strong password
> for authentication)...
>
> Here is a SSH method you may find helpful...
>
> http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.org/Ssh/RemoteDesktopSSH.html
>
> --
>
> Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)
>
> Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
> mutual benefit of all of us...
> The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights...
>
> "Nate Networker" <NateNetwor***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:1E6E75F3-A592-4F0F-AD86-D69F311DAE0F@microsoft.com...
> > Can anyone tell me if connecting to an XP Pro box via the web using web
> > connection (and remote desktop) is secure?
> >
> > I am asking for 2 reasons: 1) I have not been able to get XP's VPN server
> > to work. (I think that's because my linksys router has some issues)
> >
> > 2) I was told that remote desktop was not secure at all..
> >
> > I am trying to setup a remote connection that is a secure connection for
> > free (if possible)
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > Thanks
>
>
>
>

28 Sep 2006 10:44 AM

Sooner Al [MVP]

"Nate" <N***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3D91D406-BD7D-40A9-91BB-D958FA332029@microsoft.com...
> Al, thanks for responding. I did some searching before I posted my
> question.
> I couldn't find any info. Where did you find info about 64-bit/128-bit
> encryption?
>
> Thanks for the SSH method.
>
> Nate
>

Here is one reference...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/termserv/termserv/remote_desktop_protocol.asp

Also some trial and error on my part...:-)

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...

28 Sep 2006 10:45 AM

Sooner Al [MVP]

"Nate" <N***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3D91D406-BD7D-40A9-91BB-D958FA332029@microsoft.com...
> Al, thanks for responding. I did some searching before I posted my
> question.
> I couldn't find any info. Where did you find info about 64-bit/128-bit
> encryption?
>
> Thanks for the SSH method.
>
> Nate
>

Here is one reference...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/termserv/termserv/remote_desktop_protocol.asp

Also some trial and error on my part...:-)

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...