Remote Admin

[Joe Black]

The help-desk where I work installs/configures everything using Remote Desktop. No problem you might think, but sometimes they seem to connect without telling you or there being any pop-up asking permission.

Being the paranoid type I'm not too happy about this, so the question is how can I on occasions turn it off/prevent my PC being accessed unless I want them to, e.g. if I want to do some online-banking.

Does simply stopping the 'Remote Administration Service' prevent this?

[vetran]

Possibly, but if they are any good they will enforce a policy to make sure you can't. Control panel, system - remote.

If personal use is permitted (which it normally is) then talk to the HR droid about privacy concerns, they may see you writing a mail to your wife etc.. that may infringe your rights or a company confidential piece of correspondance that they aren't cleared to see. They must announce prior to connecting.

There are plenty of ways to update software without using RDP, e.g. sus, sms, remote install etc. RDP is not the most sensible way.

[Joe Black]

Interesting comment about the privacy issue, will keep that in mind vetran.

"Possibly, but if they are any good they will enforce a policy to make sure you can't. Control panel, system - remote."

I have local admin rights (had to fight for them) on my dev machine so can do most things, stop services etc.

Thought of installing ZA but I don't think they'd be too happy about that...

[NoddY]

Well:

1. your hard drive is accessible via \\machinename\c$ anyway.
2. running through a http proxy means all traffic is logged (this can be transparent)
3. All plain text communications can be captured and decoded back from their TCP streams
4. Be thankful they only have the gumption to use RDP - at least you can see then they're attaching.

Your safest best is communication over SSL using a combination of keystrokes and mouse movements - and you'll soon get fed up of that! In other words you have no privacy.

[Joe Black]

Quite true NoddY.

What I was refering to though was the SSL stuff like online-banking/shopping etc, e.g. paying a bill last week which I'd forgot about.

I thought with remote admin etc the user always got a prompt, but after ok-ing the help-desk to connect and install some software, when he finished (or so I thought) I rebooted my machine only to find a bit later he'd reconnected/was still connected and I didn't even know it until my cursor started moving round by itself...

[malvolio]

Of course, they could take the view that since its their equipment, network, licences and power they have a right to know about anything you do on their equipment. If you don't want them looking over your shoulder, use your own kit.

[paulb567]

I used to work at a company where IT support would do this. The worst time was when I was reorganising a lot of file on the local HD and some support muppet connected and took control of the PC at the exact moment I was dragging a few GB of files somewhere. This resulted in him dropping all of these files onto the 'Lotus Notes' shortcut on my desktop and the PC ground to a halt as Lotus tried to figure out what to do with all this crap it had suddenly been given. The support muppet promptly disconnected. Still not too sure what he was planning on doing that day.

[Mordac]

2 ways to disable remote desktop.

1: remove it from the "exceptions" list in Windows Firewall (assuming you're using XP SP2, just go to Control Panel / Windows Firewall / Exceptions tab and untick remote desktop. RD requests will be blocked by the firewall, but chances are there will be GP settings which prevent you doing this.

2: go to Control Panel / System / remote tab.
Untick the bottom box (allow remote desktop connections etc) Again, there may well be GP settings which stop you doing this (if the people who set up the network security are any good). There's also a Regedit hack, if you're desperate I will post it, but if you can't do 1 and 2, you won't be able to use Regedit either.

[malvolio]

...but check the terms of your contract first. Disabling bits of your client's standard build for personal reasons may have untoward side effects...

[Joe Black]

Oh dear...

Why the "oh dear"....well, because the Help Desk guys turned up at my desk somewhat unexpected today to add more memory just while I was perusing a PDF on remote admin...and b*gger me, the damn thing just wouldn't close while the guy is standing behind me for the next min or so...

Update: discovered it wasn't Remote Admin, but Unicenter they were using. Can't change the settings but can stop all the services...