Remote work is now an essential part of many businesses, requiring organizations to rethink how they provide secure, scalable, and efficient access to corporate resources.
While RDP over Virtual Private Networks (VPN) has long been a popular solution for remote access, the rise of cloud-based Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) solutions offers an increasingly compelling alternative.
This article explores the technical and practical advantages of cloud-based RDP versus RDP over VPN, especially in the context of security, performance, and cost-effectiveness.
The Growing Concern with VPN Security
On May 6, 2024, researchers at Leviathan Group revealed an unpatchable flaw in VPNs dubbed Tunnelvision that can allow attackers to siphon off data without any indication that they are there. While there may be mitigation in some scenarios, this flaw has no patch and affects all products that use VPN encapsulation on Windows, Mac, Linux, and iOS operating systems! According to researchers at the Leviathan Group the attack’s ability to avoid detection is perhaps the most problematic element!!
As a common attack vector, VPNs require open firewall ports on the VPN gateway, which increases the exposure to cyber threats such as brute-force attacks, ransomware, and credential stuffing. The broader network access provided by VPNs makes them particularly attractive to hackers, as a single compromised account can lead to extensive damage to the organization. Second, all remote endpoints & locations connected to the VPN network / gateway become extension of the corporate network! A single compromise of any of these remote endpoints, which often connect to VPN over public WiFi at airports, hotels, and insecure home WiFi, can spread to the corporate network.
Here is what CSO Online says about this unpatchable VPN flaw: Given that a VPN is solely an encrypted tunnel and provides no security on either end, they are a popular means for attackers to backdoor an environment. Malware planted on the machine of any VPN user can piggyback on an infected file and safely ride the VPN to the enterprise’s broader network. “VPNs aren’t necessarily security tools. It’s a connectivity tool” that IT departments have “bolted on and tried to patch things up,” said Dani Cronce, a senior security consultant at Leviathan and one of the report’s authors.
As businesses shift towards Zero Trust models, cloud-based RDP has emerged as a better and more secure option. Cloud-based RDP solutions do not require any inbound firewall exposure, and they restrict access to only the resources that users need, minimizing the attack surface and reducing the overall risk of breaches. Moreover, cloud-based RDP solutions offer advanced security features, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access control (RBAC), to further safeguard networks.
What’s the Difference: VPN vs. Cloud-Based RDP?
A core difference between VPN and cloud-based RDP lies in the scope of access they provide. While VPNs connect users to the entire network over a publicly exposed gateway, cloud-based RDP restricts access to specific applications or desktops with zero firewall exposure. This fundamental difference reduces the attack surface, limits the exposure of the corporate network, and makes cloud-based RDP a more secure option for modern businesses.
VPN: A Legacy Approach
VPN allows remote users to access a company’s internal network by creating an encrypted tunnel. This approach has been the standard for years, providing access to the entire network, not just specific resources. While effective in many use cases, it presents significant security risks by broadening the attack surface, as users gain access to the entire network over authorized protocols. While some VPN solutions allow certain restrictions, their implementation is so complicated that tech admins forego it.
Cloud-Based RDP: A Modern Solution
In contrast, cloud-based RDP solutions like TruGrid SecureRDP provide remote access to specific applications or desktops with zero firewall exposure. Instead of connecting users to the network, it connects them to individual desktops or applications hosted anywhere, reducing the attack surface and limiting potential damage from breaches.
Furthermore, effective cloud-based RDP solutions include integrated MFA and Geo Blocking, and can integrate with Azure Conditional Access, which significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access.
Why VPNs Are Riskier
While VPNs offer encrypted connections, they have several inherent security issues. For example, VPNs require open inbound firewall ports, which are often targeted by cybercriminals. In addition, managing and maintaining VPN infrastructure is complex, and many organizations fail to keep their VPN configurations and patches up to date, leaving them vulnerable to attacks.
Data from Kaspersky indicates a sharp rise in brute-force attacks against exposed RDP servers, with some countries seeing an increase from 200,000 daily attacks to over 1.2 million. As shown in Figure 1, brute-force attacks on VPNs have surged from around 200,000 in 2020 to an estimated 4 million in 2024. Simultaneously, VPN-based ransomware incidents have climbed from 23% to 32%, further underscoring the vulnerabilities associated with exposed VPN services.
Unlike legacy DaaS & RDS solutions that require exposed firewalls, VPN or Gateway Appliances, TruGrid requires no firewall exposure and completely shields customers from internet visibility.
TruGrid handles authentication in the cloud and ensures that only pre-authenticated connections can access corporate networks, acting as a cloud shield that blocks targeted attacks against a network.
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Security: Why Cloud-Based RDP is the Safer Bet
VPNs require open inbound firewall ports, making them susceptible to brute-force attacks, credential stuffing, and other threats. Moreover, because VPNs often provide access to the entire network, a single compromised account can lead to extensive damage. In contrast, cloud-based RDP eliminates this vulnerability by operating without open inbound ports, ensuring that the network remains invisible to external threats.
VPN Security Vulnerabilities
VPNs expose organizations to several security risks:
- Open Firewall Ports: VPNs require open ports, making the network visible to attackers.
- Single Point of Failure: Many organizations have a single VPN gateway. The saturation or unplanned outage can lead to lost productivity.
- Complex Patching and Updates: Maintaining a secure VPN environment requires constant updates, which many organizations struggle to implement promptly.
Exposed RDP services are targeted by ransomware operators, with attacks such as Dharma and Venus ransomware actively exploiting poorly configured RDP servers. An experiment by GoSecure found that an exposed RDP honeypot was attacked over 3.5 million times within three months.
Ransomware Families Targeting Exposed RDP
Ransomware families like Dharma and Phobos have been particularly notorious for targeting exposed RDP. Dharma, for instance, uses brute-force attacks to compromise RDP credentials and deploy ransomware onto compromised systems. Similarly, Phobos exploits poorly secured RDP endpoints, often encrypting critical files and demanding hefty ransoms. Both ransomware families thrive in environments where RDP is exposed and improperly secured, underscoring the dangers of leaving such services exposed to the internet.
Once attackers gain access, they can inject malware, execute ransomware, or even disable systems entirely, leaving businesses vulnerable to financial and reputational damage.
Exploited VPN Vulnerabilities
VPNs are not immune to such attacks either. A recent example is the FortiGate leak, where the credentials of over 15,000 VPN servers were exposed, offering cybercriminals a roadmap to infiltrate corporate networks.
Similarly, ransomware groups like Helldown exploit vulnerabilities in VPN devices such as SonicWall and Zyxel to breach internal networks. These and several other related VPN attacks highlight how VPNs can become an open door for malicious actors.
The consequences of these vulnerabilities are severe:
- Data Theft: Attackers exfiltrate sensitive data, often threatening to publish it unless a ransom is paid.
- Network Disruption: Critical systems are encrypted, halting business operations.
- Compliance Breaches: Exposed VPNs and RDP sessions can lead to violations of regulations like HIPAA or GDPR, resulting in hefty fines.
To effectively mitigate these risks, organizations should eliminate RDP exposure over the public internet, including VPN.
Moreover, organizations should regularly assess the security of their RDP configurations so that they can better understand the risks of exposed RDP. Using tools like RDP Inspector, businesses can identify vulnerable open ports, misconfigurations, and outdated service versions that can expose them to cyber threats.
How TruGrid SecureRDP Solves These Problems
- No Open Ports: TruGrid operates without requiring open inbound firewall ports, making networks invisible to external threats.
- Built-In MFA: Multi-factor authentication is integrated and enabled by default, providing an extra layer of security against credential theft.
- Granular Access Control: TruGrid allows administrators to restrict access to specific applications or desktops, minimizing the attack surface.
- Zero Trust Architecture: Unlike VPNs, TruGrid enforces strict authentication and only grants access to pre-authorized resources.
- Simplified Management: TruGrid’s centralized dashboard enables easy configuration and monitoring, reducing IT overhead and complexity.
TruGrid SecureRDP offers a scalable, secure, and cost-effective alternative to traditional VPN-based solutions. It eliminates vulnerabilities commonly exploited by ransomware groups and ensures compliance with stringent security standards.
Performance: Cloud-Based RDP Delivers Speed and Efficiency
VPNs are often plagued by performance issues, particularly as more users connect to the network. Because VPNs route all traffic through a single gateway, they are prone to network congestion and latency. Additionally, scaling VPNs for large remote workforces requires significant infrastructure investment, which can be costly and complex.
Scaling remote access while maintaining performance is challenging with traditional VPNs. Cloud-based RDP solutions offer an efficient and scalable solution that delivers better user experience, even for large, distributed workforces.
VPN Performance Issues
VPNs typically consume large amounts of bandwidth because they transmit all network traffic between the user and the corporate network over a single VPN appliance. This becomes particularly problematic as more users connect into the network. For those using VPN split-tunnels to minimize traffic through the corporate network, this exposes the VPN client to attacks over the public internet, which can then traverse the VPN tunnel and infect the corporate network!
Cloud-Based RDP Performance Benefits
Cloud-based RDP solutions, such as TruGrid SecureRDP, are far more bandwidth-efficient. TruGrid connects end users and corporate networks over a global fiber-optic mesh, bypassing the public internet and delivering low latency experience. TruGrid also allows organizations to deploy multiple connection brokers inside the corporate network to spread connection loads and improve redundancy.
Cost Efficiency: Reducing Costs While Improving Security
VPNs come with significant upfront and ongoing costs, including hardware, software licenses, and the resources required to manage them. Maintaining VPN hardware, upgrading systems, and dealing with potential security breaches also add to the total cost of ownership.
Cloud-Based RDP Savings
In contrast, cloud-based RDP operates on a pay-as-you-go model, with no need for complex hardware or network configurations. This model allows businesses to scale their remote access infrastructure without heavy upfront investments or ongoing hardware maintenance. Cloud-based RDP also enables faster deployment, reducing costly downtime and freeing up IT resources for other critical tasks.
What’s Next?
In this article, we’ve explored why cloud-based RDP is a safer and more efficient solution compared to VPNs, and how TruGrid SecureRDP addresses the vulnerabilities of traditional remote access methods.
In the next article, we’ll dive deeper into TruGrid’s advanced features and how they simplify deployment, enhance compliance, and support secure hybrid work environments.
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Sponsored and written by TruGrid.