RDP Win7, what files are stored locally?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mark
  • Start date Start date
M

Mark

Hi,
I'm considering using RDP over VPN to connect to work from home - however
this will not be possible if any temporary files, video cache etc are stored
on the local machine (and aren't deleted when the RDP session ends).

Both local and remote PCs will be Win7 64bit.

So, are any files generated on the local PC when i connect to the remote PC
over RDP?

I understand that the communication is 128bit encrypted, are any temporary
files also encrypted?

Thanks
 
Mark said:
I'm considering using RDP over VPN to connect to work from home -
however this will not be possible if any temporary files, video
cache etc are stored on the local machine (and aren't deleted when
the RDP session ends).

Both local and remote PCs will be Win7 64bit.

So, are any files generated on the local PC when i connect to the
remote PC over RDP?

I understand that the communication is 128bit encrypted, are any
temporary files also encrypted?
Click to expand...

VPN is just a tunnel between your network and the one at work - essentially
putting you on the side of all the other computers at work. Your use of the
network during that time is just like it was before - so if you surf the
Internet through the VPN tunnel, etc - it's just the same as not using the
VPN. Anything that you have being cached/stored normally can/will be
cached/stored while VPN'd. Only the network has changed.

Yes - a VPN tunnel normally sends things encrypted at some level -
everything traveling over that connection (through that tunnel) is encrypted
*during transfer*.
 
Mark said:
I'm considering using RDP over VPN to connect to work from home -
however this will not be possible if any temporary files, video
cache etc are stored on the local machine (and aren't deleted when
the RDP session ends).

Both local and remote PCs will be Win7 64bit.

So, are any files generated on the local PC when i connect to the
remote PC over RDP?

I understand that the communication is 128bit encrypted, are any
temporary files also encrypted?
Click to expand...

Forgot to add - since you will be connecting via VPN and then using the
remote computer in your office via Remote Desktop Protocols, all the files
and such - if you don't literally copy them to your computer, etc - are
still stored on that remote computer. You are essentially viewing
them/editing them on that computer. Your keystrokes and video are being
transferred over the connection via the VPN tunnel and RDP - back and forth.
However - the files and web pages you surf, etc - that is recorded on the
remote computer.
 
Hi,

1. When connecting, make sure you use the /public command line switch.
This will disable persistent bitmap caching among other things:

mstsc /public

2. If you enable local drive redirection, copies of files will be created in
the temp folder. In some cases these files may not be deleted after
you disconnect, so to be safer you should consider deleting them manually
after each session, or do not use drive redirection. These files are not
encrypted, and of course even if you delete them they could be recovered
unless you use a secure wipe.

3. If you enable clipboard redirection the contents of the remote clipboard
may remain in memory after you disconnect. Consider disabling clipboard
redirection or clear the clipboard after disconnect.

4. If you enable printer redirection, keep in mind that anything you print
will spool locally as a file, and then be deleted. The file could be recovered.
Also there are rare times when print jobs get stuck and if you were to
leave a stuck print job someone else could retrieve it later. Consider disabling
print redirection if this is a concern.

5. While working with the remote desktop client some or all of the memory
used by it may be paged out to disk (in the system page file). It is possible
for someone to read this even after the program has closed. Perhaps some
screen images, etc. could be recovered. This is true of all programs unless
they use special techniques to protect sensitive info.

6. If the remote computer is not secure it could have keystroke loggers,
screen loggers, etc.

-TP
 
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