RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol)
RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) is Microsoft's protocol for remotely controlling a Windows machine's full graphical desktop over the network, typically on port 3389, letting a user see the remote screen and operate the keyboard and mouse as if sitting at it. Unlike Telnet, RDP does support encryption and authentication, but a weak or reused password, an unpatched vulnerability, or a port left open to the entire internet rather than restricted to a VPN turns it into one of the most consistently targeted services online -- mass scanners and brute-force tools treat an open port 3389 as a standing invitation. Security guidance generally recommends never exposing RDP directly to the internet, instead requiring a VPN or similar gateway before a connection can even reach it.
By AdminKit team, Netbase JSC · Updated