Security Basics mailing list archives

Re: Windows Remote Desktop


From: Jamie Pratt <jamie () nucdc org>
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 16:31:29 -0500

hmm... the 'main' traffic does appear encrypted, but this third packet
sent on the initial RDP connection prior to login is somewhat odd: (the
RDP session has 'Administrator' as the default account on the TS login
screen, and I am running as Administrator myself - what's up with the
username showing in the data section of the packet if it's all encrypted
then?)  - Well..at least I can't see the password going over the wire!

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Frame 20 (94 bytes on wire, 94 bytes captured)
Ethernet II, Src: 00:07:f4:ed:e4:af, Dst: 00:0f:43:71:2c:6e
Internet Protocol, Src Addr: 192.168.X.X (192.168.X.X), Dst Addr:
X.X.X.X (X.X.X.X)
Transmission Control Protocol, Src Port: 1054 (1054), Dst Port: 3389
(3389), Seq: 1, Ack: 1, Len: 40
Source port: 1054 (1054)
Destination port: 3389 (3389)
Sequence number: 1
Next sequence number: 41
Acknowledgement number: 1
Header length: 20 bytes
Flags: 0x0018 (PSH, ACK)
Window size: 16560
Checksum: 0x25c9 (correct)

Data (40 bytes)

0000 03 00 00 28 23 e0 00 00 00 00 00 43 6f 6f 6b 69 ...(#......Cooki
0010 65 3a 20 6d 73 74 73 68 61 73 68 3d 41 64 6d 69 e: mstshash=Admi
0020 6e 69 73 74 72 61 0d 0a nistra..

------------------------------------------------------------------------


regards,
jamie

Depp, Dennis M. wrote:
> Two statements I don't agree with:
>
> 1)  "Additionally no actual 'data' is transferred through the RDP
> connection, it's just interface information (mouse movement, button
> clicks, typing) and screen refreshes. Now if you were using the resource
> mapping then data would traverse the RDP connection and would be subject
> to its encryption."
>    Data is sent over the wire concerning keystrokes, mouse
> movements and screen refresh data. Obviously this information,
> particularly keystrokes can provide data to a hacker.  However all
> information set via RDP is encrypted the default is 56-bit with the
> capacity to use 128-bit RC4.  Even when using local resources, the data
> is still encrypted with 128-bit security.
>
> 2) "All in all I think that PCAnywhere and Citrix have
> more secure RDP/VNC like interfaces"
>    The default security setting in Citrix is basic (no encryption)
> PCAnywhere maybe better, I'm not sure.  Both Citrix and RDP are
> vulnerable to MiM attacks.  Citrix does have the capability to use SSL
> but this is comprable to Microsoft's VPN solution.
>
> Denny
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Shawn Jackson [mailto:sjackson () horizonusa com]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 6:36 PM
> To: jamesworld () intelligencia com
> Cc: Michael Gale; security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: RE: Windows Remote Desktop
>
<snip>

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