Optimize Productivity and Security With Enhanced Remote Desktop Protocol Capabilities

2OPTIMIZE PRODUCTIVITY AND SECURITY WITH ENHANCED REMOTE DESKTOP PROTOCOL CAPABILITIES

Harmony SASE helps improve the user experience while reducing the administrative burden of RDP Many organizations depend on Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to enhance the productivity and user experience of their remote and hybrid teams. By leveraging RDP, users can seamlessly access software and even connect to their office computers from anywhere. This flexibility empowers workers to stay connected, whether they’re at home or traveling, providing the same functionality they would have in the office.

Benefits of Using RDP

Consistency and Compatibility: RDP ensures that all users access the same software versions, eliminating compatibility issues across different devices and operating systems.

Scalability: RDP accommodates business growth and evolving user requirements without significant hardware investments.

Enhanced Collaboration: RDP facilitates teamwork by allowing multiple users to access shared resources and tools simultaneously, regardless of their location.

Data Protection: Using RDP lets the organization keep sensitive information on corporate servers, reducing the risks associated with storing data on potentially insecure personal devices.

Challenges of Using RDP

While RDP is essential for many organizations, it does come with some challenges.

Limited Functionality of Browser-Based Applications

In instances when critical software cannot be hosted on remote and hybrid workers’ local devices, organizations frequently rely on RDP for remote access via web browsers. However, browser-based applications often fall short in usability. Common challenges include the inability to connect to network printers, the lack of support for dual monitors, and limitations on different keyboard layouts, all of which can significantly hinder productivity.

Although some vendors offer legacy RDP functionality that allows applications to run on local machines, these solutions often require complex configurations and ongoing maintenance, diverting the IT team from more critical tasks.

© 2024 Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved

3OPTIMIZE PRODUCTIVITY AND SECURITY WITH ENHANCED REMOTE DESKTOP PROTOCOL CAPABILITIES

Multi-User Management Complexities

Remote and hybrid employees often need to remotely access their office desktop computers. This may be to tap into that machine’s performance capabilities, to work with sensitive data that cannot be stored on their laptop, or simply to use a consistent computing environment.

Provisioning remote access traditionally requires setting up individual RDP applications for each user, which creates a substantial administrative burden. Each application must be individually configured and tested, while administrators must perform continual updates as users join or leave the organization. These manual processes detract the admin team from higher-priority projects.

Security Concerns

RDP is often misconfigured or lacking strong password policies, creating a security gap for organizations. Cybercriminals frequently use RDP as an attack vector through the use of stolen credentials or brute forcing weak user credentials.

Once an attacker has gained unauthorized access to a network, they can establish persistence, move laterally, initiate a ransomware attack, or do other damage.

Implementing measures such as VPNs, multi-factor authentication, and privilege management can enhance security and ensure safe remote access.

Why RDP + SASE Security-conscious enterprises adopt RDP within the context of a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution for several reasons, including:

Secure Access: Users can leverage SASE to access RDP services without exposing them directly to the internet. Instead of opening ports on firewalls, SASE uses a cloud-based security model.

Zero Trust: SASE is built on Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) principles, meaning that users are authenticated and authorized before being able to access RDP resources. And they are continuously verified even after connecting.

Cloud-based: Rather than connecting directly to an RDP server, users connect through the SASE solution’s cloud infrastructure. This enables security checks and policy enforcement to occur in the cloud before traffic reaches the RDP server.

Performance Optimization: SASE can improve RDP performance by routing traffic through optimized network paths. This is especially beneficial for remote users accessing RDP over long distances.

Scalability: SASE's cloud-native architecture allows for easy scaling of RDP access to accommodate a large number of remote users without the need for additional hardware.

Simplified Security: The admin team can manage RDP access within the SASE platform rather than managing it via a separate tool.

Consistent User Experience: SASE allows users to access RDP and other resources using a single authentication process.

Granular Access Control: Administrators can establish detailed access policies to restrict RDP resources based on user identity, device posture, and other contextual factors.

Enhanced Visibility: SASE provides visibility into RDP usage across the organization, allowing for better monitoring and threat detection.

By integrating RDP within a SASE framework, organizations can provide a secure and consistent user experience while maintaining control and visibility into remote access.© 2024 Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved

4OPTIMIZE PRODUCTIVITY AND SECURITY WITH ENHANCED REMOTE DESKTOP PROTOCOL CAPABILITIES

Enhanced RDP Capabilities with Harmony SASE

Harmony SASE offers enhanced RDP functionality that addresses these challenges. Because these capabilities are offered via the platform’s zero trust architecture, the question of security is automatically addressed. Identity-based policies and multifactor authentication restrict entry to only authorized users, while granular policies give them access to only approved resources. Additional security measures such as device posture check and traffic encryption further augment the network’s protection.

Native RDP with Harmony SASE

Instead of limiting users to browser-based versions, Harmony SASE’s native RDP capability gives them access to fully capable applications while also simplifying the admin experience. Users download an RDP file to their local machines, which lets them launch and operate the application natively, just like any other local software. This allows them to customize their preferences and enjoy full functionality, such as using dual monitors, connecting to network printers, and using a keyboard with their preferred language.

For network admins, setup is easy and straightforward. Using Harmony SASE’s intuitive UI, they can quickly configure native RDP applications and assign access to applicable users and groups. The native application seamlessly connects to the organization’s RDP gateway, accessing specific app settings to deliver a familiar and enhanced user experience.

Dynamic User-Based RDP

Harmony SASE also enables administrators to quickly provision access to users’ office desktops without requiring individual RDP applications for each. Using the intuitive Harmony SASE interface, administrators set up a single application that supports hundreds of users. Based on their unique identities, Harmony SASE automatically establishes each user’s connection to their specific machine.

The user experience is seamless, as they are able to access their office desktop without extra security steps getting in the way. And this drastically reduces the maintenance and management burden on the admin team.

© 2024 Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved

5OPTIMIZE PRODUCTIVITY AND SECURITY WITH ENHANCED REMOTE DESKTOP PROTOCOL CAPABILITIES

Meet Check Point SASE 2x Faster Internet Security | Full Mesh Private Access | Secure SD-WAN The internet is the new corporate network, leading organizations to transition to SASE. However current solutions break the user experience with slow connections and complex management.

Check Point SASE is a game-changing alternative that delivers 2x faster internet security combined with full mesh Zero Trust Access and optimized SD-WAN performance—all with an emphasis on ease-of-use and streamlined management.

Combining innovative on-device and cloud-delivered network protections, Check Point SASE offers a local browsing experience with tighter security and privacy, and an identity-centric zero trust access policy that accommodates everyone: employees, BYOD and third parties. Its SD-WAN solution unifies industry-leading threat prevention with optimized connectivity, automated steering for over 10,000 applications and seamless link failover for uninterrupted web conferencing.

Using Check Point SASE, business can build a secure corporate network over a private global backbone in less than an hour. The service is managed from a unified console and is backed by an award-winning global support team that has you covered 24/7.

Check Point SASE is part of our Workspace Suite, which helps organizations of all sizes secure their workspaces with a suite of products covering network security across browsers, devices, and cloud.

To learn more, visit https://www.checkpoint.com/harmony/sase/

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