Remote desktop software

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In computing, the term remote desktop refers to a software- or operating system feature that allows a personal computer's desktop environment to be run remotely from one system (usually a PC, but the concept applies equally to a server or a smartphone), while being displayed on a separate client device. Remote desktop applications have varying features. Some allow attaching to an existing user's session and "remote controlling", either displaying the remote control session or blanking the screen. Taking over a desktop remotely is a form of remote administration.

Contents

Overview

Remote access can also be explained as the remote control of a computer by using another device connected via the internet or another network. This is widely used by many computer manufacturers and large businesses help desks for technical troubleshooting of their customer's problems.

Remote desktop software captures the mouse and keyboard inputs from the local computer (client) and sends them to the remote computer (server). [1] The remote computer in turn sends the display commands to the local computer. When applications with many graphics including video or 3D models need to be controlled remotely, a remote workstation software that sends the pixels rather than the display commands must be used to provide a smooth, like-local experience.

Remote desktop sharing is accomplished through a common client/server model. The client, or VNC viewer, is installed on a local computer and then connects via a network to a server component, which is installed on the remote computer. In a typical VNC session, all keystrokes and mouse clicks are registered as if the client were actually performing tasks on the end-user machine. [2]

Remote desktops also have a major advantage for security development, companies are able to permit software engineers who may be dispersed geographically to operate and develop from a computer which can be held within the companies office or cloud environment.

The target computer in a remote desktop scenario is still able to access all of its core functions. Many of these core functions, including the main clipboard, can be shared between the target computer and remote desktop client.

Since the onset of COVID-19, the shift to remote-work environments has led many to work from home with devices without enterprise IT support. As a result, these workers are reliant on remote desktop software to collaborate and keep their systems available and secure. [3]

Uses

A main use of remote desktop software is remote administration and remote implementation. This need arises when software buyers are far away from their software vendor. Most remote access software can be used for "headless computers": instead of each computer having its own monitor, keyboard, and mouse, or using a KVM switch, one computer can have a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and remote control software, and control many headless computers. The duplicate desktop mode is useful for user support and education. Remote control software combined with telephone communication can be nearly as helpful for novice computer-users as if the support staff were actually there.

Remote desktop software can be used to access a remote computer: a physical personal computer to which a user does not have physical access, but that can be accessed or interacted with. [4] Unlike servers, remote computers are mainly used for peer to peer connections, where one device is unattended. A remote computer connection is generally only possible if both devices have a network connection.

Since the advent of cloud computing remote desktop software can be housed on USB hardware devices, allowing users to connect the device to any PC connected to their network or the Internet and recreate their desktop via a connection to the cloud. This model avoids one problem with remote desktop software, which requires the local computer to be switched on at the time when the user wishes to access it remotely. (It is possible with a router with C2S VPN support, and wake on LAN equipment, to establish a virtual private network (VPN) connection with the router over the Internet if not connected to the LAN, switch on a computer connected to the router, then connect to it.)

Remote desktop products are available in three models: hosted service, software, and appliance.

Tech support scammers use remote desktop software to connect to their victim's computer and will often lock out the computer if the victim does not cooperate.

Protocols

Remote desktop protocols include the following:

Malicious variants

A remote access trojan (RAT, sometimes called creepware) [6] is a type of malware that controls a system through a remote network connection. While desktop sharing and remote administration have many legal uses, "RAT" connotes criminal or malicious activity. A RAT is typically installed without the victim's knowledge, often as payload of a Trojan horse, and will try to hide its operation from the victim and from computer security software and other anti-virus software. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

Notable examples

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X Window System</span> Windowing system for bitmap displays on UNIX-like systems

The X Window System is a windowing system for bitmap displays, common on Unix-like operating systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virtual Network Computing</span> Graphical desktop-sharing system

Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a graphical desktop-sharing system that uses the Remote Frame Buffer protocol (RFB) to remotely control another computer. It transmits the keyboard and mouse input from one computer to another, relaying the graphical-screen updates, over a network.

TightVNC is a free and open-source remote desktop software server and client application for Linux and Windows. A server for macOS is available under a commercial source code license only, without SDK or binary version provided. Constantin Kaplinsky developed TightVNC, using and extending the RFB protocol of Virtual Network Computing (VNC) to allow end-users to control another computer's screen remotely.

RealVNC is a company that provides remote access software. Their VNC Connect software consists of a server and client application, which exchange data over the RFB protocol to allow the Viewer to control the Server's screen remotely. The application is used, for example, by IT support engineers to provide helpdesk services to remote users.

RFB is an open simple protocol for remote access to graphical user interfaces. Because it works at the framebuffer level it is applicable to all windowing systems and applications, including Microsoft Windows, macOS, the X Window System and Wayland. RFB is the protocol used in Virtual Network Computing (VNC) and its derivatives.

x11vnc is a Virtual Network Computing (VNC) server program. It allows remote access from a remote client to a computer hosting an X Window session and the x11vnc software, continuously polling the X server's frame buffer for changes. This allows the user to control their X11 desktop from a remote computer either on the user's own network, or from over the Internet as if the user were sitting in front of it. x11vnc can also poll non-X11 frame buffer devices, such as webcams or TV tuner cards, iPAQ, Neuros OSD, the Linux console, and the Mac OS X graphics display. x11vnc is part of the LibVNCServer project and is free software available under the GNU General Public License. x11vnc was written by Karl Runge.

NX technology, commonly known as NX or NoMachine, is a remote access and remote control computer software, allowing remote desktop access and maintenance of computers. It is developed by the Luxembourg-based company NoMachine S.à r.l.. NoMachine is proprietary software and is free-of-charge for non-commercial use.

Remote administration refers to any method of controlling a computer or other Internet-connected device, such as a smartphone, from a remote location. There are many commercially available and free-to-use software that make remote administration easy to set up and use. Remote administration is often used when it's difficult or impractical to be physically near a system in order to use it or troubleshoot it. Many server administrators also use remote administration to control the servers around the world at remote locations. It is also used by companies and corporations to improve overall productivity as well as promote remote work. It may also refer to both legal and illegal remote administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UltraVNC</span> Remote desktop software

UltraVNC is an open-source remote-administration/remote-desktop-software utility. The client supports Microsoft Windows and Linux but the server only supports Windows. It uses the VNC protocol to allow a computer to access and control another one remotely over a network connection.

VirtualGL is an open-source software package that redirects the 3D rendering commands from Unix and Linux OpenGL applications to 3D accelerator hardware in a dedicated server and sends the rendered output to a (thin) client located elsewhere on the network. On the server side, VirtualGL consists of a library that handles the redirection and a wrapper program that instructs applications to use this library. Clients can connect to the server either using a remote X11 connection or using an X11 proxy such as a VNC server. In case of an X11 connection some client-side VirtualGL software is also needed to receive the rendered graphics output separately from the X11 stream. In case of a VNC connection no specific client-side software is needed other than the VNC client itself.

Desktop sharing is a common name for technologies and products that allow remote access and remote collaboration on a person's computer desktop through a graphical terminal emulator.

Desktop virtualization is a software technology that separates the desktop environment and associated application software from the physical client device that is used to access it.

A web desktop or webtop is a desktop environment embedded in a web browser or similar client application. A webtop integrates web applications, web services, client–server applications, application servers, and applications on the local client into a desktop environment using the desktop metaphor. Web desktops provide an environment similar to that of Windows, Mac, or a graphical user interface on Unix and Linux systems. It is a virtual desktop running in a web browser. In a webtop the applications, data, files, configuration, settings, and access privileges reside remotely over the network. Much of the computing takes place remotely. The browser is primarily used for display and input purposes.

A home server is a computing server located in a private computing residence providing services to other devices inside or outside the household through a home network or the Internet. Such services may include file and printer serving, media center serving, home automation control, web serving, web caching, file sharing and synchronization, video surveillance and digital video recorder, calendar and contact sharing and synchronization, account authentication, and backup services.

This page is a comparison of notable remote desktop software available for various platforms.

Ericom Software, Inc. is a Closter, New Jersey-based company that provides web isolation and remote application access software to businesses.

Remote Desktop Services (RDS), known as Terminal Services in Windows Server 2008 and earlier, is one of the components of Microsoft Windows that allow a user to initiate and control an interactive session on a remote computer or virtual machine over a network connection. RDS was first released in 1998 as Terminal Server in Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition, a stand-alone edition of Windows NT 4.0 Server that allowed users to log in remotely. Starting with Windows 2000, it was integrated under the name of Terminal Services as an optional component in the server editions of the Windows NT family of operating systems, receiving updates and improvements with each version of Windows. Terminal Services were then renamed to Remote Desktop Services with Windows Server 2008 R2 in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pano Logic</span> American information technology company

Pano Logic was a manufacturer of devices which present virtual desktops to the end user with no local processing power. They describe this concept as "zero client". This is perceived as offering benefits in end-user support and in power provision to desks. OEM versions have been included in displays from some vendors, allowing a single unit to be deployed. The company failed in October 2012. In March 2013, Propalms announced they had acquired the rights to support Panologic customers, and will "help transition the customer base to a new platform".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrome Remote Desktop</span> Remote desktop software tool

Chrome Remote Desktop is a remote desktop software tool, developed by Google, that allows a user to remotely control another computer's desktop through a proprietary protocol also developed by Google, internally called Chromoting. The protocol transmits the keyboard and mouse events from the client to the server, relaying the graphical screen updates back in the other direction over a computer network. This feature, therefore, consists of a server component for the host computer, and a client component on the computer accessing the remote server. Chrome Remote Desktop uses a unique protocol, as opposed to using the common Remote Desktop Protocol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teradici</span> Canadian software company

Teradici Corporation was a privately held software company founded in 2004, which was acquired by HP Inc. in October 2021. Teradici initially developed a protocol (PCoIP) for compressing and decompressing images and sound when remotely accessing blade servers, and implemented it in hardware. This technology was later expanded to thin clients/zero clients for general Virtual Desktop Infrastructure. Teradici's protocol or hardware is used by HP, Dell-Wyse, Amulet Hotkey, Samsung, Amazon Web Services, Fujitsu, and VMware.

References

  1. ↑ "Remote Desktop Software". ITarian.com. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  2. ↑ Virtual Network Computing (VNC): Making Remote Desktop Sharing Possible. Businessnewsdaily.com (2013-11-07). Retrieved on 2014-02-27.
  3. ↑ Manson, Jonathan (2022-04-03). "Remote Desktop Software as a forensic resource". Journal of Cyber Security Technology. 6 (1–2): 1–26. doi: 10.1080/23742917.2022.2049560 . ISSN   2374-2917.
  4. ↑ "What is Remote Computer? – Definition from Techopedia". Techopedia.com. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  5. ↑ "VMware Announces Strategic Licensing and Co-development Agreement with Teradici for True Remote PC User Experience Further Bolstering its vClient Initiative". VMware News Releases. VMware. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  6. ↑ "Creepware — Who's Watching You?". Symantec Security Response. 10 December 2013.
  7. ↑ "Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7". Microsoft TechNet . Microsoft. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2011.,
  8. ↑ "Danger: Remote Access Trojans". Microsoft TechNet . September 2002. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  9. ↑ "Understanding the Windows NT Remote Access Service". Microsoft TechNet . Microsoft . Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  10. ↑ "Netsh commands for remote access (ras)". Microsoft TechNet . Microsoft. January 21, 2005. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  11. ↑ "RAS Registry Modification Allowed Without Administrative Rights". Microsoft TechNet . Microsoft . Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  12. ↑ "Computer RATS – Protecting Your Self". HowTheyHack. July 2013. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "Code Access Security and bifrost". CodingHorror.com. 20 March 2007. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  14. ↑ "BlackShades: Arrests in computer malware probe". BBC News . Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  15. ↑ "Remarks Prepared for Delivery by Special Agent in Charge Leo Taddeo at Blackshades Press Conference". fbi.gov. Federal Bureau of Investigation . Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  16. ↑ Denbow, Shawn. "pest control: taming the rats" (PDF). Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  17. ↑ Aylward, Laura. "Malware analysys – Dark Comet RAT". Contextis. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  18. ↑ "Brisbane teenager built spyware used by domestic violence perpetrators across world, police allege". the Guardian . 30 July 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  19. ↑ "Advice for potential victims of IM-RAT malware". Australian Federal Police. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  20. ↑ "International crackdown on RAT spyware, which takes total control of victims' PCs". Europol . Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  21. ↑ "Cybercrime Network focuses on support to victims of malware". European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation . Retrieved 23 September 2022.
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