Remote access apps are great for controlling your PC when you’re not sitting directly in front of it. However, remote access apps are often prime targets for hackers, but you can stop their attempts by making a few security tweaks.
1Enable Two-Factor Authentication for Remote Access Apps
Powerful modern computers can crack a seven-letter password in mere seconds. Using apassword tool to create strong passphrasesincreases this time exponentially, making it resistant to a brute force attack.
Unfortunately, having a strong password isn’t enough anymore, as attackers often compromise your credentials through other means.
There’s one easy way toensure you’re not at the mercy of simple password authentication:two-factor authentication(2FA). Many remote access solutions likeTeamViewermake it easy to enable 2FA, which can send an email or message to your mobile device to check if youlogged in. A second verification method makes it much more difficult to break in than with a password alone.
2Update Remote Desktop Software Regularly
Of course, a password won’t stop attackers if the software itself is vulnerable to exploits. That’swhy it’s so important to install security updatesfor your remote software regularly.
Things move fast in the tech world, and if your apps haven’t been updated for over a year, you’re asking for trouble. If you’re still rockingNoMachineversion 8.02 when version 8.14 is already out, a hacker will try any vulnerability listed in the old patch notes.
Enable auto-updates for peace of mind, but if that’s not possible, put it on your to-do list as something to check regularly. It’s that important.
3Limit Remote Access via Whitelisting
But why give bad actors the opportunity to pick the lock when you’re able to remove the door entirely? Many remote access apps allow you to limit who can connect in the first place.
You might think that no one would target your humble little PC if you’re not a celebrity or a tech giant. However,attackers regularly use port scanningon entire IP blocks to look for easy marks. If you have a remote server exposed to the wider internet, it’s not secure via obscurity.
Thankfully, you canuse IP address whitelistingto vet who’s come knocking. Remote control apps likeAnyDesklet you set which devices you trust, while other remote access apps likeSplashtoplet you specify which IP addresses you want to recognize.
If whitelisting via IP address, take precautions so you don’t accidentally lock yourself out.
Your client device may have a dynamic IP address that changes without warning. Suddenly, it’s not on the whitelist anymore, and you‘ve blocked yourself. Here are some ways to make sure you can edit the whitelist when needed:
4Connect to a VPN Before Using Remote Control
If you’re using a public Wi-Fi access point—or any network that’s not yours—to connect to a remote desktop, your activity isn’t safe. That’s because your traffic is piped through someone else’s hardware.
One solution is to connect to a VPNbefore starting a remote session. A VPN providesend-to-end encryptionand protectsyou from eavesdropping. We recommend choosing one from our list of thebest VPN services.
For those of you self-hosting a remote access server—for example,RealVNC, Windows RDP, orChrome Remote Desktop—there’s a fancier solution. This method lets you take advantage of a VPN’s superior security standards to block outsiders.
Here’s the gist of how to set it up:
The downside of using a VPN is that it typically slows down the stream and requires work to set up. But it’s the gold standard for remote access into corporate and university networks for a reason.
By the way, you’re not limited to just one technique. Combining multiple security steps above, your remote PC becomes a fort surrounded by concentric moats.
