Remote Desktop Connection Client

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Policy settings in this node control Remote Desktop Connection client settings.

The full path of this node in the Group Policy Management Console is:

User Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Remote Desktop Connection Client

Note

If you are using the Local Group Policy Editor, Policies is not part of the node path.

Available policy settings

Name Explanation Requirements

Allow .rdp files from unknown publishers

This policy setting allows you to specify whether users can run unsigned Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) files and .rdp files from unknown publishers on the client computer.

If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, users can run unsigned .rdp files and .rdp files from unknown publishers on the client computer. Before a user starts an RDP session, the user receives a warning message and is asked to confirm whether they want to connect.

If you disable this policy setting, users cannot run unsigned .rdp files and .rdp files from unknown publishers on the client computer. If the user tries to start an RDP session, the user receives a message that the publisher has been blocked.

At least Windows Vista with Service Pack 1

Allow .rdp files from valid publishers and user's default .rdp settings

This policy setting allows you to specify whether users can run Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) files from a publisher that signed the file with a valid certificate. A valid certificate is one issued by an authority recognized by the client, such as the issuers in the client's Third-Party Root Certification Authorities certificate store. This policy setting also controls whether the user can start an RDP session by using default .rdp settings (for example, when a user directly opens the Remote Desktop Connection [RDC] client without specifying an .rdp file).

If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, users can run .rdp files that are signed with a valid certificate. Users can also start an RDP session with default .rdp settings by directly opening the RDC client. When a user starts an RDP session, the user is asked to confirm whether they want to connect.

If you disable this policy setting, users cannot run .rdp files that are signed with a valid certificate. Additionally, users cannot start an RDP session by directly opening the RDC client and specifying the remote computer name. When a user tries to start an RDP session, the user receives a message that the publisher has been blocked.

Note
You can define this policy setting in the Computer Configuration node or in the User Configuration node. If you configure this policy setting for the computer, all users on the computer are affected.

At least Windows Vista with Service Pack 1

Do not allow passwords to be saved

This policy setting allows you to specify whether a user can save passwords by using a Terminal Services client.

If you enable this policy setting, the password saving check box in Terminal Services clients will be disabled and users will no longer be able to save passwords. When a user opens an RDP file by using the Terminal Services client and saves his settings, any password that previously existed in the RDP file will be deleted.

If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the user will be able to save passwords by using the Terminal Services client.

At least Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 or Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1

Specify SHA1 thumbprints of certificates representing trusted .rdp publishers

This policy setting allows you to specify a list of Secure Hash Algorithm 1 (SHA1) certificate thumbprints that represent trusted Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) file publishers.

If you enable this policy setting, any certificate with an SHA1 thumbprint that matches a thumbprint on the list is trusted. If a user tries to start an .rdp file that is signed by a trusted certificate, the user does not receive any warning messages when they start the file. To obtain the thumbprint, view the certificate details, and then click the Thumbprint field.

If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, no publisher is treated as a trusted .rdp publisher.

Note

You can define this policy setting in the Computer Configuration node or in the User Configuration node. If you configure this policy setting for the computer, the list of certificate thumbprints trusted for a user is a combination of the list defined for the computer and the list defined for the user.
This policy setting overrides the behavior of the Allow .rdp files from valid publishers and user's default .rdp settings policy setting.
If the list contains a string that is not a certificate thumbprint, it is ignored.

At least Windows Vista with Service Pack 1