Remote PC Is Back in Fashion

The use of remote PC functionality is on the rise. Considering the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, it isn’t surprising that many organizations looked for solutions to allow employees to work from home.

Many organizations that use virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) technologies are mostly prepared for such unexpected events; however, what about organizations that still rely on physical PCs in the office, with local apps, documents and internal resources?

One of the first things that may come to most IT admins’ minds is to create a virtual private network (VPN) to provide access to their users by connecting through Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to their workstation PCs.

The downside of VPNs is that a possible security risk could ensue due to home PCs having malware or a virus entering the organizations’ network. Also, a keystroke logger could be capturing everything that’s viewed or typed on the home device. On top of that, opening the internal network to any remote employee, anywhere, presents additional hazards many organizations won’t risk, resulting in delayed deadlines and profit loss.

Parallels RAS Enables Remote PC Functionality

Parallels® Remote Application Server (RAS) has a feature called Remote PC. This capability allows any domain-joined physical PC to become securely accessible to remote employees without a VPN.

In addition to Remote Desktop Session Hosts (RDSH) and VDI guest virtual machines (VMs), Parallels RAS enables resources to be published from a standalone remote PC running supported versions of Windows. A remote PC can be a physical box, but typically they are physical computers.

Parallels RAS can convert any physical workstation on your infrastructure to a Remote PC without any additional hardware or licensing requirements. This way, organizations can switch from a typical office infrastructure style to either a completely remote work environment or a hybrid environment—both from the office and remotely.

What is a Remote PC?

A Remote PC is a computer that end-users have no physical access to but can access remotely via the Internet from another device and location. Remote connections go through a network that connects the remote computer and the local device.

End-users leverage remote access software to control the Remote PC just as if the computer is right in front of them. Parallels Client, TeamViewer, VNC, and Remote Desktop are all examples of currently used software.

How Do Remote PCs Work?

The TPC/IP protocol is used for the connection between the remote computer and the end-user. Since a computer’s IP address is unique on each network, it is used to gain access remotely through a public network or the Internet.

Remote computers are generally handy since there is no need for an underlying infrastructure and can be enabled or disabled on-demand. They are helpful when you forget some of your files at home or at the office and want to access them even though it is no longer physically possible.

Remote PC Benefits

Providing remote access to a workstation or a personal computer can benefit organizations in several aspects such as:

Quick access. Employees can access their files in case of an urgent matter while they are not at the office.
Specify users. Organizations can provide remote access to particular users such as the CEO or IT admin so they can resolve possible issues from any location, at any time.
Maintain productivity. In an unpleasant event, which could be either a family or personal matter, a sudden weather change, or a problem at the office, the end-users can keep working with the same productivity as if they were in the office.
Local files. Keep your files local, without having to move them between clouds, emails or external devices (which tend to get lost). Access your files from anywhere, anytime, although they are located in your work or personal device.
Secure data. Make sure that your files are secure and cannot be copied or altered from unauthorized access. In case of external intruders, all you need to do is switch off the remote PC access until the case is resolved.
Fend off potential attacks. Ransomware could target the accessing device and not the target remote PC. If the device used to access the remote PC is infected with a virus or malware, it will not pass over to the remote PC.

What are the Security Risks of Remote PC?

There are a few security risks to keep in mind when using a remote PC, including:

Using home PCs for remote access. At the start of the pandemic, more people started working remotely, and home PCs were given access to corporate networks. If not properly configured, such machines could leave your network open to potential hacking attempts.
Lax security policies. If you don’t update firewall rules and don’t require strict passwords, your network may be vulnerable to hackers.

Infection with viruses and other malware. If remote computers are not subjected to regular security scanning, they can potentially infect the other machines in your network.
Non-monitoring of remote user activity. If you don’t log all activities from your remote users, you’re leaving your network open to attack.

Security Features of the Parallels Remote PC Solution

Parallels® RAS offers many options when it comes to security. These include:

Double encryption to provide ultimate security

Parallels RAS supports SSL or FIPS 140-2 protocol, offering organizations a foolproof system that complies with policies such as HIPAA, PCI DSS and GDPR.

All communication passes through the Parallels protocols

By default, Parallels RAS installs with a Secure Client Gateway and a Publishing Agent. This eliminates the need for additional firewall rules, potentially saving IT teams the backbreaking setup process.

User policies can be set up to restrict what applications are used remotely

Parallels RAS secures corporate data by enforcing user policies based on their IP addresses, end-devices and location. This improves IT’s efforts to support users and allows new users to be incorporated easily.

Auditing and reporting on the activity of the user

Parallels RAS has a Reporting Engine that audits and reports users’ activities, Active Directory (AD) groups, devices, servers, and events.

Download your 30-day trial of Parallels RAS and effortlessly convert all your desired workstations to Remote PCs.