remote desktop protocol (Microsoft) (RDP)

The Remote Desktop Protocol(RDP) developed by Microsoft is an extension of the T.120 protocol of the International Telecommunication Union( ITU), which was originally developed as a standard for video conferencing. The RDP protocol is a terminal server protocol that works under Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP and supports TCP/ IP as a transport protocol in the WAN/ LAN environment.

With the RDP protocol, once a session has been established, the RDP packets are transmitted in encrypted form using the RC4 algorithm on the presentation layer. Three encryption levels are distinguished: low, medium and high. In the low and medium levels, encryption is performed using 40 bits or 56 bits, with encryption in both directions in the medium level. In the highest encryption level, a 128-bit algorithm is used on both the server and client side.

On Windows Server 2003, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) version V5.2 and later provides improved drive and interface usability, higher graphical resolution, and supports smart cards. In Microsoft Windows Server, Remote Desktop Services( RDS) supports remote access to graphical desktops and applications running under Windows.