RE: A different question RE: Windows Remote Desktop

From: Shawn Jackson (sjackson_at_horizonusa.com)
Date: 01/16/04

  • Next message: Shawn Jackson: "RE: Windows Remote Desktop"
    Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004 09:43:00 -0800
    To: <gillettdavid@fhda.edu>, <security-basics@securityfocus.com>
    
    

            From my terminal server experience I encountered that 'type' of
    problem in the following situations.

            1.) The program can't operate in a shared environment with
    multiple instances open. Some programs just can work under TS properly
    due to their use of static files, (INI's, config files, flat file db's,
    etc). Could you have another instance running on the box that is
    'locking' a file needed to be written to by the new instance?

            2.) Service packs/updates/hotfixes are more 'pronounced' in a TS
    environment and need to be looked at a lot more carefully. Even though
    you install them days ago some file operations are saved for when the
    system reboots, check your logs to see what updates were installed
    recently.

            3.) Communication errors, excessive latency or dropped packets
    can mess up communication between the client and server and cause
    'weird' TS error messages, usually (The server is too busy....).

            4.) If it *is* a Terminal Services server and not a XP RDP box
    make sure you are licensed properly, TS-CALS are demoed for 90 days or
    so then become invalid, at which point you need to setup a licensing
    server and install some TS-CALS.

            5.) Make sure you don't have any 'phantom' sessions still open.
    Set a timeout for disconnected sessions to ensure that they disappear.
    For my servers I set this high for admin purposes but if it's an
    end-user TS server I set this very low.

            6.) Update your afflicted program or reinstall it, make *SURE*
    you are running the install/update using the Add/Remove Programs
    installation utility, no program on a TS server should be installed
    without using Add/Remove programs utility.

            7.) Reinstall your NIC drivers and use a multi-homed server.
    Which seaming you're sniffing anyways you should be connected to a
    'management' NIC and sniffing through another NIC.

            8.) Double check permissions, TS for installed programs created
    'shadow' copies of static files that the program writes, like
    configuration files or databases. These might be damaged/missing or have
    had their permissions removed/changed.

            9.) When in Rome.... Remove TS->Reboot->Reinstall
    TS->Reboot->Reinstall Program (From Add/Remove pgms util)->Reboot.

    Shawn Jackson
    Systems Administrator
    Horizon USA
    1190 Trademark Dr #107
    Reno NV 89521

    www.horizonusa.com
    Email: sjackson@horizonusa.com
    Phone: (775) 858-2338
                 (800) 325-1199 x338

    -----Original Message-----
    From: David Gillett [mailto:gillettdavid@fhda.edu]
    Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2004 4:37 PM
    To: security-basics@securityfocus.com
    Subject: A different question RE: Windows Remote Desktop

      We don't allow RDP to/from off-site locations, but we've
    been using it to allow a couple of folks to, from their
    office desktops, connect to strategically placed servers
    to sniff specific network segments.
      This worked fine from sometime in September until the
    Christmas/New Year's break, during which we had a scheduled
    power shutdown. Everything came back on after the shutdown,
    and most boxes involved have been rebooted individually
    since.
      But although sniffing still works fine from the server
    console, RDP clients get a general-purpose error message
    that seems to indicate that they don't have the necessary
    permissions, or there's some other kind of problem, with
    the adapter that connects to the sniffed segment.

      Since sniffing from the console works, we know it's not an
    adapter or port configuration issue, or a switch port issue.
    Since several privileged accounts, including Administrator,
    *can* sniff from the console but not from an RDP session,
    we're convinced it's not an account privileges issue.
      And since it worked before the power shut-down, we know
    it can be made to work.

      Has anyone who works more extensively with RDP seen anything
    similar? Or have you a useful theory that might help explain
    what we're seeing?

    Dave Gillett

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