RE: Remote Desktop/Term. Serv information leakage

["Paul Fields" <Infosec () plainenglishsecurity com>]

> Hi list,
> One of our recent clients has a seperate 'isolated' network 
> where they keep sensitive material. This network is not 
> connected to the internet, is not physically accessible and 
> you can only connect to it using remote desktop.

Remote Desktop uses the same RDP as Terminal Services, I would assume
that the users are connecting to a Terminal Server on the internal
network, only because it fits with other things you say later on. I'd be
surprised if they had a small pool of XP boxes running RD.

> They asked us to test if the isolated network was adequately 
> protected. Here's what I discovered: When you start a Rem Desktop 
> session from the main network to the isolated one you can actually 
> copy and paste stuff across...this is only true for text not for 
> complete files, and seems to be by design.

Terminal Services clipboard redirection only works for Text, you can
extend it to have File Copy capabilities with Rdpclip.exe from
Microsoft. Without it, you only get text.

> So literally we have a significant leakage over here,
> introducing threats to the isolated network. 

> I am posting this to ask your opinion on how this could be
> mitigated......

Depend on what you want to mitigate, you can turn the clipboard
redirection off at the Local Machine and the Terminal Server. Obviously
turning it off at the server works beter than depending on all the
clients to be configured correctly.

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/15810/15810.html?Ad=1

> I think that Remote Desktop is not possible to
> configure securely since it's not designed as such...

Its not configured as such by default, you can turn the Clipboard off at
the server, as well as configure Windows to encrypt the session.

> and hence it transfers across anything it receives , be it mouse
> movements or copied & pasted text...

> So I was trying to think what would be the best solution,
> without spending a fortune on a 'secure' commercial solution, 
> that is. Maybe something like SSH tunneling then Rem. Desktop 
> or VNC or what?

SSH is fine if you want to, but doesn't stop them from movine files
across. You can enforce session encryption at the server if you are
worried about people seeing packets in the clear, otherwise to counter
your leakage/attack tools vector, turn off the clipboard.

On the Terminal Server:
Start > Programs > Admin Tools > Terminal Services Config > Connections
> RDP-TCP Select Client Settings tab > Disable the following > Clipboard
Mapping

If your client is interested in encrypting the sessions, then look here,
follow down to Using Encryption. 
http://www.windowsecurity.com/articles/Windows_Terminal_Services.html

On the Terminal Server:
Start > Programs > Admin Tools > Terminal Services Config > Connections
> RDP-TCP Select General tab > Encryption Level

The only issue might be high encryption level is RC4 128 bit, if they
have policies requiring 3DES or AES they'd need Win2K3 Terminal Services
which can use 3DES, or a proper VPN solution.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/S
erverHelp/6ff574cb-30c4-4ad9-8d5e-aee697c65b9b.mspx

> And do you think this 'bug' is something investigating any
> further? Is it something you people knew of?

I've run a Windows 2000 Terminal Servers for 5 years so the clipboard
behavior is not new to me. The encryption info came about when a client
had questions about security, even though Terminal Services can encrypt
its sessions, I recommended a hardware VPN solution.
 
> Thanks a lot.

Hope this helps

Paul