Remote-access Guide

citrix remote access best practices

by Claud Prosacco Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Citrix best practices call for providing the appropriate level of access to applications and data based on the combined attributes of the user, device, location, resource and action. Before granting access, NetScaler interrogates the endpoint to ensure it is healthy and compliant in terms of domain membership, antivirus and malware protection.

Full Answer

What is Citrix Ready secure remote access?

Citrix Ready Secure Remote Access Program Overview Citrix solutions deliver a complete portfolio of products supporting secure access of apps and data anytime, at any place, on any device and on any network. These include: 1. XenApp and XenDesktop to manage apps and desktops centrally inside the data center 2.

What are the best practices for Citrix XenApp policies?

To apply the best practices for Citrix XenApp policies, follow these guidelines: If a single policy management tool is preferred, configure Citrix policies through Active Directory group policies using Citrix ADMX files.

What is a Citrix solution?

Citrix solutions deliver a complete portfolio of products supporting secure access of apps and data anytime, at any place, on any device and on any network. These include: 1. XenApp and XenDesktop to manage apps and desktops centrally inside the data center 2.

How do I secure communication between windows and Citrix devices?

You can secure all communication between Microsoft Windows computers using IPSec; refer to your operating system documentation for details about how to do this. In addition, communication between user devices and desktops is secured through Citrix SecureICA, which is configured by default to 128-bit encryption.

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How do I use remote access with Citrix?

If a new Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops site was created for Remote PC Access:Select the Remote PC Access Site type.On the Power Management page, choose to enable or disable power management for the default Remote PC Access machine catalog. ... Complete the information on the Users and Machine Accounts pages.

Is Citrix remote desktop secure?

Citrix ADC is a secure and unified front-end for all applications that provides administrators granular application and device-level control, while enabling users to single sign-on across all applications from one URL, and giving them access to these applications from anywhere, and by using any device.

Is Citrix better than remote desktop?

Citrix performs better than RDS because: There's no need to share limited server resources; Citrix offers better scalability for the number of concurrent users you have; It offers better data compression resulting in faster performance.

What is MFA in Citrix?

Two factor authentication is a security mechanism where a Citrix ADC appliance authenticates a system user at two authenticator levels. The appliance grants access to the user only after successful validation of passwords by both levels of authentication.

Does Citrix need VPN?

Citrix Workspace aggregates all resources into a single, personalized user interface accessible from any device. Regardless of the selected approach and the chosen device, remote workers access your apps, files, and data with a single-sign-on (SSO) experience without a VPN.

Can Citrix spy on you?

A: NO, your employer cannot spy on your home computer through Citrix/Terminal Server sessions. Remote Desktop, Citrix, and Terminal server sessions are not designed to access your home computer. You do not need to worry about being spied on your personal computer via a remote desktop session.

What is the difference between VDI and Citrix?

VDI stands for virtual desktop infrastructure. A VDI desktop is a desktop running on a server in the datacenter that a user can access from virtually any device. To use VDI with Citrix, you need to purchase Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktop (formerly Citrix XenDesktop).

Does Citrix require RDS CALS?

You need both Citrix Licenses and Microsoft RDS Licenses to use Citrix Virtual App/Desktop environment.

What is the difference between Remote Desktop and VDI?

RDS runs on a single server and users access it through a network connection and Remote Desktop Protocol. With VDI, each user receives their own virtual server. Individual OS instances are hosted on VDI VMs with associated applications and data.

How do I enable MFA for Citrix workspace?

InstructionsClick on the admin name in the top right and click My Profile.Under Login Security, click Set up authenticator app.You will receive an email with a verification code; enter this code and your account password and click Verify.Download an Authenticator app that supports Time-based One-Time Password (TOTP).More items...

How do I reset my Citrix Cloud MFA?

Once logged in, Click on the admin name in the top right and click My Profile. To update your Authenticator app, click Change device. Confirm your re-enrollment, select Yes, change device. You are then challenged to verify MFA again before making changes to your account.

How do I log into my Citrix gateway?

In a web browser, type the web address of Citrix Gateway. Type the user name and password and then click Logon.

What is difference between Citrix and VMware?

The main difference between the two is the intended usage of the software. The Citrix XenServer is used by personal users and small to medium-sized businesses, while VMware vSphere ESXi is only intended for small to medium-sized businesses and is not structured for personal use.

What is the difference between Citrix and Windows?

Compared to Citrix, Windows Virtual Desktop is easier to use for small businesses. While Citrix has many advanced features, the cost of implementation and maintenance is high. However, not all businesses (especially small ones) need or want to pay for these capabilities.

Does ICA use RDP?

RDP RemoteFX Vs HDX – ICA Microsoft's Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), VMware's PC-over-IP (PCoIP) and Citrix's HDX are the most commonly used.

How does a Citrix connection work?

Citrix Virtual Apps isolate the applications from the underlying operating system (OS) and delivers them to the target device. The client device doesn't need applications installed — all the configuration and data are on the server. The user sends keystrokes and mouse clicks to the server and receives screen updates.

What is Citrix Analytics?

Citrix Analytics (NT SERVICECitrixAnalytics): Collects site configuration usage information for use by Citrix, if this collection been approved by the site administrator. It then submits this information to Citrix, to help improve the product.

How to enforce contextual access policies?

Enforce contextual access policies. Publish the application to a dedicated desktop. If the application must be published to a shared hosted desktop, do not publish any other applications to that shared hosted desktop. Ensure the desktop privileges are only applied to that desktop, and not to other computers.

How to prevent non-admin users from performing malicious actions?

To prevent non-admin users from performing malicious actions, we recommend that you configure Windows AppLocker rules for installers, applications, executables and scripts on the VDA host and on the local Windows client.

What are Windows login rights?

The Windows logon rights are: log on locally, log on through Remote Desktop Services, log on over the network (access this computer from the network), log on as a batch job, and log on as a service.

How to resume local access?

To resume local access, the user presses Ctrl-Alt-Del on the local PC and then logs on with the same credentials used by the remote session. The user can also resume local access by inserting a smart card or leveraging biometrics, if your system has appropriate third-party Credential Provider integration. This default behavior can be overridden by enabling Fast User Switching via Group Policy Objects (GPOs) or by editing the registry.

What is pooled desktop?

If a desktop is a pooled desktop rather than a dedicated desktop, the user must be trusted in respect of all other users of that desktop, including future users. All users of the desktop need to be aware of the potential permanent risk to their data security posed by this situation.

What does it mean when a non-privileged user connects to a desktop?

By default, when non-privileged users connect to a desktop, they see the time zone of the system running the desktop instead of the time zone of their own user device. For information on how to allow users to see their local time when using desktops, see Change basic settings.

Why is remote access important?

Remote access security is crucial for businesses that have a remote workforce, as these employees need to safely access corporate networks from multiple places. As many remote employees work from home, an unsecured network could lead to massive data breaches on both personal and company servers. If your business shares sensitive data to clients via a corporate network, the proper security precautions need to be implemented to protect both parties from malicious code.

What is secure remote access?

Secure remote access represents any security policy, program, or strategy that safeguards a specific application or network from unauthorized access. Rather than utilizing one cybersecurity strategy, secure remote access incorporates multiple security solutions to ensure your business’s confidential information is protected, no matter where your network is being utilized.

How to secure your cloud?

This includes identifying which applications you are currently using, as well those you plan to integrate into your network in the future. Once identified, it’s important to assess these services for any potential cybersecurity risks or vulnerabilities so you can get started implementing the right security measures. Some of the most common cloud app security strategies include:

Why is it important to adjust user permissions?

Adjusting user permissions within your cloud apps allows you to assign or prevent access to sensitive data. Similarly, it’s important to regulate what devices can securely access your cloud network. Many cloud-based services allow you to restrict certain devices from designated applications.

What is zero trust network access?

Zero-trust network access (ZTNA) is a security solution that provides secure remote access to private applications and services based on defined access control parameters. This means that employees only have access to services that have been specifically granted to them. A zero-trust security framework also prevents users from being placed on your network and your apps or services from being exposed to the internet.

Why is cloud app security important?

Ensuring your cloud apps are utilizing built-in security options will help mitigate data loss and protect your organization from remote threats. It’s also important to select cloud services that align with your business’s unique security needs, especially if you have a remote work force.

What is Citrix best practices?

Citrix best practices for mobile app security are based on containerization, a form of segmentation at the device level. Users can use a single device with both personal and business apps, with business apps and data managed by IT. The security of the hardware, operating system and individual apps is extended by container-based security measures including encrypted storage and usage, app-to-app data control and data wipe policies.

How does application virtualization protect data?

Application virtualization protects sensitive data by centralizing apps in the datacenter and allowing only a pixelated representation of the application to reach the endpoint—no actual data transfer occurs. Virtualization also allows the classification of applications based on their security requirements; sensitive apps can be siloed onto dedicated servers within a separate network segment with different sensitivity classifications and restrictions, and multiple isolated versions of web browsers can be published to address diverse security and legacy requirements of web apps. IT gains a single point of visibility and control to define and enforce access policies on a group or user level.

How does log management help in detecting a threat?

Regular auditing and accounting of user access, configuration changes and account management logs aid threat detection by capturing early indicators of attack and compromise. These can include unusual and large volume of outbound traffic, unusual account activity —especially for privileged accounts—and failed and successful logins from unusual locations. This data also helps IT clean up inactive accounts as best practices recommend. As successful intruders often clean up logs to delay detection of their breach, log files should be stored externally to the system.

How does NetScaler work?

Visibility challenges grow as the number and complexity of applications and deployments increase across lines of business, as well as the tools and techniques used for monitoring. NetScaler simplifies monitoring by providing a central point through which all application information travels. While the primary purpose of this design is to allow load balancing and SSL offload for scalability and availability, it also ideally positions NetScaler to parse both web and ICA traffic for any type of application using any type of encryption. Performance data for this traffic is then sent to NetScaler Insight Center, which uses AppFlow to define and extract visibility information.

What is segmentation in security?

Segmentation extends the rule of least privilege to the network and hosts by defining security zones that minimize unwanted access to sensitive applications and data. Firewalls and gateways restrict traffic to their respective zones, reducing lateral movement and attack surface to contain the blast radius of a breach.

Is NetScaler app firewall a threat?

Such threats are often devised specifically for the target, making identification by network-layer security devices such as intrusion protection systems and network firewalls impossible. This leaves web apps exposed to application-layer attacks using known and zero-day exploits. NetScaler AppFirewall closes this gap by delivering centralized, application-layer security for web apps and services.

Is FIPS required for government agencies?

Strict adherence to high encryption standards has long been a requirement for government agencies, and FIPS compliance is quickly becoming a topic of interest in commercial spaces as well as banks, credit card processors and healthcare organizations seek to secure traffic inside their datacenter.

How to allow remote access to a network?

Allowing access to an organization’s resources from outside the corporate network may be necessary for some businesses. Logically, when this kind of remote access is allowed, your organization takes on additional risks, and the access should be handled as securely as possible by: 1 Ensuring the remote access is encrypted (SSL, IPSec, etc.) 2 Ensuring there is strong authentication for remote access (Multi-factor Authentication or MFA) 3 Ensuring that strong passwords are required for remote access 4 If possible, require remote users to use company-provided hardware that has been secured to your company standards. Otherwise, ensure that employees understand the reasonable standards they should be taking (e.g., antivirus, passwords, etc.)

Why do we review remote access authorizations?

Review authorizations for remote access regularly to assure that no unwanted personnel can access.

Is it necessary to allow access to resources outside the corporate network?

Allowing access to an organization’s resources from outside the corporate network may be necessary for some businesses . Logically, when this kind of remote access is allowed, your organization takes on additional risks, and the access should be handled as securely as possible by:

Is MFA enough for RDP?

If RDP or RDWeb are business-critical, using MFA isn't enough. They must also be used with a VPN. Remote technologies to use with extreme caution: Remote Desktop Protocol ( Never expose directly to the Internet) RDWeb (remote desktop over the web) Limit and review who has access.

How has remote access improved productivity?

Remote access has enabled an entirely new paradigm of workplace flexibility and productivity. Indeed, the very meaning of the word “workplace” must be redefined to be less location-specific and more worker-specific. The adoption of mobility enhancing tools such as tablets, smartphones and other devices has transformed many enterprise roles into an any place, any time proposition. Workers have benefited from schedules that offer more flexibility, helping to enhance both work- and home-life. Companies have benefited from the leaps of productivity that remote access enables.

What is a CensorNet multifactor authentication?

CensorNet’s multifactor authentication solution benefits users with enhanced security, keeping the mounting cyberthreats of a dangerous world at bay. Compared to traditional two-factor solutions, CensorNet MFA provides better security while also offering an easier-to-use interface, making life simpler for administrators and users alike. Computer systems and enterprise data are kept safe, while productivity is simultaneously increased. The net result is a substantial decrease in TCO relative to other security solutions.

What is a censornet?

CensorNet is the complete cloud security company. With more than 1.3 million users worldwide, CensorNet helps more than 4,000 organizations meet the challenge of managing the rise of cloud applications in an increasingly mobile work environment.

What is RDP server?

RDP is a protocol originally developed by Microsoft, which enables remote connection to a compute system. RDP is also available for MacOs, Linux and other operating systems. The RDP server listens on TCP port 3389 and UDP port 3389, and accepts connections from RDP clients.

Who needs privileged accounts?

Many organizations need to provide privileged accounts for two types of users: employees and external users, such as technicians and contractors. However, organizations using external vendors or contractors must protect themselves from potential threats from these sources.

What is a VDI gateway?

VDI solutions provide dedicated gateway solutions to enable secure remote access.

Can an attacker compromise a VPN?

When an attacker compromises a VPN (virtual private network), they can easily gain access to the rest of the network. Historically, many companies deployed VPNs primarily for technical roles, enabling them to access key IT systems. Today, all users, including non-technical roles, might access systems remotely using VPN. The problem is that many old firewall rules allow access for VPN clients to almost anything on the network.

Is remote access technology progressing?

Remote access technology made great progress. There are many new ways for users to access computing resources remotely, from a variety of endpoint devices. Here are some of the technologies enabling secure remote access at organizations today.

Why should Citrix be managed?

Functionality, such as client drive mapping and special folder redirection, should be managed carefully to avoid remote users from unknowingly pulling massive data sets from Citrix clients to Citrix servers for processing. This also prevents problems with authored map documents containing unusable data references, such as \c$.

What is Citrix XenApp?

Citrix XenApp provides two methods for delivering applications : session virtualization (also known as hosted shared sessions), and application virtualization (also known as application streaming). Session virtualization represents the traditional method where a remote session is established and the application is executed remotely from a server. In this configuration, the application is installed onto the server in a similar manner as with a typical desktop. Application virtualization focuses on virtualizing the application itself. The application is 'sequenced' into a containerized format that prepares it for streaming to the client. The application, along with supporting registry information and other components, is essentially wrapped into a customized file structure and served from a file server on demand. The application can be accessed by a XenApp server for delivery via a remote session or directly from a desktop client.

Does XenApp support 3D?

One of the original goals of thin computing was to minimize the impact to the network. To achieve this goal, graphic-intensive and 3D displays were not considered practical in terms of application delivery via XenApp. This has traditionally limited the use of 3D applications within a XenApp environment. However, 3D support has evolved and current XenApp editions (XenApp 6.5 with the OpenGL GPU Sharing Feature Add-on or newer versions) now support server-side GPU acceleration, including support for OpenGL applications (classic Esri 3D applications are OpenGL based). It has been shown that GPUs cannot be used to accelerate ArcMap’s GDI-based display, therefore no advantage is gained by deploying GPUs in XenApp servers for ArcGIS Desktop. For applications such as ArcGlobe, ArcScene, and ArcGIS Explorer, GPUs can be leveraged to accelerate display performance. Network traffic must be considered, as well, since it increases significantly with these types of displays. Therefore, it is recommended that these applications be tested to ensure expected performance objectives can be achieved.

Is XenApp a challenge?

Historically, virtualizing XenApp with ArcGIS proved to be challenging with many deployments. However, as server and virtualization technologies have evolved, the risk associated with virtualizing XenApp servers with ArcGIS has significantly decreased.

Is ArcGIS Desktop blocked?

Since ArcGIS Desktop is running on a XenApp server in the data center, network access is often more secure, and port 80 may be blocked outbound to the internet. Port 80 is required for ArcGIS Online access and other web services, so it is important to ensure port 80 is not blocked for XenApp servers.

Does Citrix XenApp use ArcGIS?

A typical Citrix XenApp deployment with ArcGIS leverages roaming profiles, allowing for a similar user experience regardless of which server the user is assigned. Esri does not require anything beyond the standard best practices published by Microsoft and Citrix for managing profiles. However, there are cases where some changes in profile management are desired. The following cases are examples of profile-related modifications.

Does ArcMap run on Citrix?

To date, there has not been a known configuration where a given version of ArcMap does not run on a given version of Citrix XenApp. However, to increase confidence with the use of XenApp, for several years now Esri has been certifying ArcGIS with XenApp.

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