Remote Access Shield

 

Avast's Remote Access Shield protects your devices from Remote Desktop vulnerabilities with the following features:

• Choose who can remotely access the protected computer using Remote Desktop, blocking all other connection attempts
• Automatically block any brute-force attacks trying to crack the protected computer's credentials
• Automatically block connections attempting to use Remote Desktop exploits like BlueKeep to take control of the protected computer
• Automatically block Remote Desktop connections from high-risk IP addresses
• Get notifications about Remote Desktop connection attempts blocked by Avast

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is the most dominant cyber security attack vector, and the most common ways of using RDP to gain access to a computer are the following:

Brute-force attack: the attackers attempt to sign in to an account by using trial-and-error methods. These can include repeatedly trying to log in with commonly used or stolen credentials, leading to many failed sign-ins occurring over very short time frequencies, typically minutes or even seconds.

Unpatched OS: the operating system is vulnerable to known Remote Desktop exploits. An example is BlueKeep, which allows the attacker to run malicious code in the kernel memory of the server, taking control of the entire system.

Protect me when using Remote Desktop connections: enables the shield to protect your remote connections using Remote Desktop

Protect me when using Samba connections: enables the shield to protect your remote connections using Samba

Notify me about blocked connections: displays a pop-up notification when Avast blocks an incoming connection

Block brute-force attacks: blocks multiple repeated attempts to determine your Remote Access password

Block malicious IP addresses: blocks IP addresses marked as dangerous to remote connections

Block Remote Desktop exploits: blocks connections attempting to use exploits like BlueKeep

Block all connections except the following: blocks all IP addresses and connections except for those added to the list. Check the box, click + IP addresses for exclusions, then enter the IPv4/IPv6/IP range and click IP addresses for exclusions to confirm

• Example IP range: 192.168.1.1-192.168.1.254