Securing your remote access in 10 points

A badly configured remote access tool turns every session into an open door. Ten simple measures, applied together, bring the risk close to zero. Here they are, from the user account down to the network.

1. Lock down accounts first

Authentication is the first line of defence. Ubidesk enforces multi-factor authentication on every account, with a choice of TOTP, passkeys and FIDO2 keys. A password alone, however strong, no longer cuts it. If the technician is a target, the session is a target. That single change blocks the most common entry route: stolen credentials.

2. Encrypt the session end to end

Encryption happens at three levels: TLS 1.3 for the channel, AES-256-GCM for the data and ECDH for the key exchange. Each session gets its own keys, generated for that session only. A compromised key compromises one session, not the history and not the next ones. See our glossary entry on end-to-end encryption.

3. Prefer a client that installs nothing

For one-off sessions, the Ubidesk temporary client runs on the spot: no installation, no administrator rights, nothing left on the machine afterwards. The shallower the software footprint, the smaller the attack surface. Uninstall nothing afterwards: the client leaves no trace.

4. Require confirmation before every transfer

No file enters or leaves without the user’s explicit confirmation. Ubidesk applies this rule with no exceptions, business accounts included. It is the strongest guard against data theft during an otherwise legitimate session.

5. Keep unattended access to what you actually manage

Unattended access should stay the exception, reserved for machines you genuinely run. The Ubidesk agent reconnects automatically after a reboot, including in Safe Mode, and Wake-on-LAN lets you power a machine on only when the intervention requires it. The fewer machines carry the agent, the fewer doors stay open.

6. Do not multiply open ports

Every open port is another door. Ubidesk runs exclusively on port 443, the same port as regular web traffic. Nothing special to unblock in firewalls, and no exotic rules to maintain.

7. Turn on suspicious behaviour detection

The Ubidesk Trust Layer watches what happens during the session: opening online banking, mentioning gift cards, unsolicited contact attempts. Banking sites and password fields blur automatically, and every business passes KYB verification with a verified technician badge.

8. Choose your data residency

Legal security matters as much as technical security. Ubidesk data can reside in the European Union, Canada or the United States, your choice. That choice answers GDPR obligations as well as Québec Law 25.

9. Ask for proof of compliance

A vendor that claims to be serious must prove it. Ubidesk applies GDPR and Québec Law 25, and its ISO 27001, SOC 2 and HIPAA certifications are in progress. Check the real status of every certification with the vendor. Do not settle for a logo. A vendor preparing them should be able to say so, and show a timeline.

10. Review settings on a schedule

No configuration survives the organisation: people leave, join and change roles. Review accounts, revoke unused access and apply least privilege. Multi-factor authentication is a good place to start this quarterly audit.

Where to start

Do not deploy everything at once. Start with multi-factor authentication, encryption and transfer confirmation: those three cover most incidents. Data residency, audits and session rules follow as the fleet grows. A twenty-minute quarterly audit keeps the level up after that.

All ten points fit into a single afternoon with Ubidesk remote support, built for IT teams that want security without adding friction to the day. Most of it is configuration, not new hardware.