3 considerations with remote access

The 7 most important remote access software considerations

1. Security considerations. It could be argued that security should not be considered a “feature” per se, but more of a...
2. Remote audio. Having the ability to hear audio from a remote computer can come in very useful, in particular if you...
3. Consider what platforms you need to support. Compatibility across...

Full Answer

What are the different options for secure remote access?

Let’s look at a few of the common options for secure remote access: A common remote access technology in use today is the IPsec VPN. A piece of software called a VPN client is installed on the end user’s computer and is configured with details about the target network, such as the gateway IP address and a pre-shared security key.

What is remote access without technical configuration?

Plug and play remote access without technical configuration: In a cloud-based remote access solution, security parameters-such as hash functions, encryption/decryption algorithms, etc.-are configured automatically. Machine builders do not need to configure these parameters; they just need to click on a button to establish a remote connection.

What do I need to set up a remote key exchange?

Multiple parameters, including IP address, domain name, key ID, authentication mode, a suitable encryption algorithm, and an efficient hash function, all need to be configured to properly establish connectivity with remote machines and to be able to exchange the necessary authentication keys and data.

What do you need to consider when determining your remote access needs?

The remote user must be authenticated according to your company. Smart Card or certificate authentication with a password when establishing the connection is recommended for user identification. If normal credentials are used please have a good password policy or combine this with two-factor authentication.

What are security considerations for remote users examples?

Five Remote Access Security Risks And How To Protect Against ThemWeak remote access policies. ... A deluge of new devices to protect. ... Lack of visibility into remote user activity. ... Users mixing home and business passwords. ... Opportunistic phishing attempts.

What are the features of remote access?

Most Important Remote Desktop Features: The Complete ListUnattended Access. ... Multi-Session Handling. ... Multi-Window Control. ... Built-In Chat. ... File & Clipboard Transfer. ... Auto Reboot & Reconnect. ... Restart in Safe Mode. ... Log Off/Log On & Switch User.More items...•

What are the risks of remote access?

Many remote access security risks abound, but below is a list of the ones that jump out.Lack of information. ... Password sharing. ... Software. ... Personal devices. ... Patching. ... Vulnerable backups. ... Device hygiene. ... Phishing attacks.

What are the security considerations?

The Security Considerations Assessment (SCA) process ensures security-related vulnerabilities are considered across a range of activities and processes within an organisation. This includes physical, personnel, cyber and cross-cutting security measures.

What is remote access security?

Secure remote access refers to any security policy, solution, strategy or process that exists to prevent unauthorized access to your network, its resources, or any confidential or sensitive data. Essentially, secure remote access is a mix of security strategies and not necessarily one specific technology like a VPN.

What are the types of remote access?

The primary remote access protocols in use today are the Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP), Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE), Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), Remote Access Services (RAS), and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

Why is remote access important?

With remote access, employees can safely work from any device, platform, or network at their home office or abroad. Remote desktop functions allow them to remotely access important files and share their screen for meetings and troubleshooting.

How does a remote access work?

Remote access simply works by linking the remote user to the host computer over the internet. It does not require any additional hardware to do so. Instead, it requires remote access software to be downloaded and installed on both the local and remote computers.

What is remote threat?

A remote attack is a malicious action that targets one or a network of computers. The remote attack does not affect the computer the attacker is using. Instead, the attacker will find vulnerable points in a computer or network's security software to access the machine or system.

What is the greatest risk that remote access poses to an organization?

The overriding risk of remote access services and software is a hacker gaining deeper access to your organization, exposing you to a host of IT security threats. Once they gain privileged access to your system, it will be difficult to prevent data loss, prevent phishing, protect against ransomware, etc.

Is remote desktop a security risk?

However, the highest risk is the exposure of RDP on the Internet, port 3389, and allowing it to traverse directly through the firewalls to a target on the internal network. This practice is common and should absolutely be avoided.

What security considerations do you think are important for users accessing their company desktops remotely?

Why do I need to secure remote access?1) Assume threats will occur.2) Create a telework policy.3) Encrypt sensitive information.4) Designate and secure specific remote work devices.5) Employ user authentication.6) Set up a VPN.7) Manage sensitive data securely.8) Collaborate with third-party partners and vendors.

How do you keep security when employees work remotely?

Remote Work Security Best PracticesEstablish and enforce a data security policy. ... Equip your employees with the right tools and technology. ... Frequently update your network security systems. ... Regulate the use of personal devices. ... Institute a “Zero Trust” approach. ... Make sure all internet connections are secure.More items...

How do I make remote access secure?

Basic Security Tips for Remote DesktopUse strong passwords.Use Two-factor authentication.Update your software.Restrict access using firewalls.Enable Network Level Authentication.Limit users who can log in using Remote Desktop.

How can I make my remote work more secure?

Here are the top remote working security tips to ensure you and your staff are working from home safely.Use antivirus and internet security software at home. ... Keep family members away from work devices. ... Invest in a sliding webcam cover. ... Use a VPN. ... Use a centralized storage solution. ... Secure your home Wi-Fi.More items...

Why is it important to switch to remote teaching?

Switching to remote teaching and learning is a dramatic change from ‘business as usual’ for institutions that have provided a consistent experience for generations.

Is it easier to control content?

Now, more than ever, there is a tremendous amount of information available for free or at a very low cost. The “what” of instruction has never been easier to access both in-person and from afar. As a matter of fact, it’s now easier to get overwhelmed with too much content.

IIoT driving OEM business models

The IIoT has revolutionized the way business owners view their production environment by providing the capability to acquire real-time data from machines and devices in the field so that business owners can efficiently monitor and control production processes.

Challenges using VPN & RDC

Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Remote Desktop Connection (RDC), the latter using Virtual Network Computing (VNC), are two common methods used to remotely access machines and equipment at field sites.

Cloud-based secure remote access

Cloud-based remote access is a new type of remote access solution that enables flexible remote access to field machines. The network topology of a cloud-based remote access solution is composed of three components: remote gateway, cloud server, and client software.

Ease of use

Plug and play remote access without technical configuration. In a cloud-based remote access solution, security parameters, such as the hash functions, encryption/decryption algorithms, etc., are configured automatically.

Flexibility and scalability

Client software isn’t limited to a specific hardware platform. As long as they have an active client account, users can download the client software to any laptop/PC and have remote access from anywhere and at any time.

Conclusion

OEMs and machine builders require a secure, easy-to-use, and scalable remote access solution to enable on-demand remote access to machines deployed in the field. The traditional VPN and RDC solutions are cumbersome and require IT/networking knowledge as well as changes in the security/firewall policies.

What is remote access technology?

A common remote access technology in use today is the IPsec VPN. A piece of software called a VPN client is installed on the end user’s computer and is configured with details about the target network, such as the gateway IP address and a pre-shared security key. Each time the user wants to connect to the corporate network, they start the VPN client, which creates a secure connection to the corporate firewall.

Which operating system do you need for client?

Clients are required to use either the Ultimate or Enterprise versions of Microsoft’s Operating Systems.

Is there more configuration required on the firewall when setting up the client to be published?

There is more configuration required on the firewall when setting up the client to be published.

Is VPN required for telecommuting?

Being able to connect securely to your corporate network from a remote location using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is important, and it may be required by your job if you are a telecommuter. There are some remote access technologies that are widely used, but some new methods have recently emerged that have the ability to change how we work.

Does IT need to touch each machine?

The IT department does not need to touch each machine that needs remote access. Network administrators can set up granular security policies for specific resources on the corporate network, even down to a single web-based application. Software clients are available for mobile devices such as iPhones and iPads.

Is DirectAccess going to be widespread?

DirectAccess is not going to gain widespread adoption until the OS licensing requirements are revised and the networking is reworked to be more straightforward. While IPv6 is the future of networking, we currently live and work in an IPv4 world, especially on the LAN (as of May 2014, IPv4 still carried more than 96% of Internet traffic worldwide, according to Google ). Setting up a new remote access technology should not require one or more potentially expensive projects before it can be deployed.

Why is remote access not required?

Remote access to machines and equipment is typically not required on a continuous basis and hence can be used on an as-needed basis to minimize security issues and reduce costs , especially in cases where remote connectivity is based on a volume-dependent pricing option, such as with cellular technology.

What is remote access for machine builders?

Some machine builders have adopted traditional remote access methods such as Virtual Private Networking (VPN) and Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) to improve their service levels and to provide quick response times for their customers. However, these traditional remote access solutions have various limitations and constraints that prevent machine builders from achieving their maximum service potential.

What is cloud based remote access?

Cloud-based remote access is a new type of remote access solution that enables flexible remote access to field machines. The network topology of a cloud-based remote access solution is composed of three components: a remote gateway, a cloud server, and client software. Remote gateways are connected to field equipment in order to remotely access and control them. Client software is installed on the engineer’s PC or desktop. The cloud server can be installed on a cloud-based platform such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure. The remote gateway and client software will both initiate outbound secure connection requests to the cloud server.

What is VPN and RDC?

VPN and RDC solutions can facilitate secure connections to remote machines. However, many of these solutions lack the flexibility or the intelligence to meet the specific needs of industrial machine builders. The five key elements that such machine builders have to consider when they use VPN and RDC solutions are: ...

How to achieve a higher level of security?

One way to achieve a higher-level of security is to have different pre-shared keys or X.509 certificates for each VPN tunnel. When the number of VPN tunnels/connections required are few, it is easy to manage the keys or certificates for these connections. However, as the number of VPN tunnels grows, it becomes very hard to manage these keys and certificates. When VPN servers or client systems are changed, certificates have to be regenerated. When a certificate expires, a new certificate has to be assigned and reloaded to the system, which further complicates maintenance.

Why do machine builders prefer identical versions of software tools to be installed on both the client and host machines?

Machine builders tend to prefer identical versions of the software tools to be installed on both the client and host machines since this simplifies the troubleshooting process. To do so, the IT engineers assigned for maintenance need to coordinate all updates to software tools between the server and client sides.

What is a RDC?

Virtual Private Networking (VPN) and Remote Desktop Connection (RDC), the latter of which uses Virtual Network Computing (VNC), are two common methods used to remotely access machines and equipment at field sites.

Why should companies have remote access?

Companies should have a plan for remote access to avoid any downtime in case of a natural disaster and other circumstances that limit physical access to resources.

What is Remote Access?

Remote access refers to the ability to gain access to the data and applications stored on a computer from some other location and device at any time.

What is RDP protocol?

Remote Desktop Protocol – RDP is a proprietary Microsoft protocol for remote access. However, other variants exist for macOS, Linux, and other operating systems. Software firms may even have their proprietary protocols in some situations. With RDP, the server can listen on TCP and UDP port 3389 and accepts connections upon request.

Why do employees need remote access?

They require safe and secure access to resources from outside the corporate network. Remote access gives them the tools that help them stay productive and focused from remote locations.

How to prevent hackers from using the same password?

Create strong passwords – Create unique and complicated passwords that contain at least 12 characters and are composed of a random combination of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Proactive measures such as constantly resetting default passwords, updating them frequently, and never sharing or using the same password can assist in preventing hackers from figuring them out.

How does remote access help teams?

Remote access helps here by facilitating meetings and training sessions across locations, encouraging collaboration among employees separated by distances .

Why is remote working beneficial?

The increasing shift towards remote working is beneficial to employers as well. Organizations don’t need to spend on rents and resources to maintain offices. They can save money and focus on other aspects of the business.