Terminology Index

Glossary

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RDP

Remote Desktop Protocol: Microsoft's protocol for graphical remote access to Windows systems. Widely used by admins and frequently abused by attackers for lateral movement and initial access when exposed.

RDP lets users connect to and operate a Windows desktop remotely. It is essential for administration but is also a high-value attacker target: exposed RDP services are heavily scanned and brute-forced for initial access, and once an attacker has credentials, RDP is a common lateral-movement channel between hosts. Defenders restrict RDP exposure (no direct internet access), require MFA, monitor RDP authentication, and detect anomalous RDP lateral movement.

Introduced in: Networking Foundations

Examples

  • An admin connecting to a Windows server over RDP.
  • Brute-force attempts against RDP exposed to the internet.
  • An attacker using stolen credentials to move laterally via RDP.