How to connect to remote desktop securely in AWS EC2 instance

1. Choose a Secure Instance Type and OS

Instance Type: Choose an instance type that meets your performance needs.

Operating System: Use a secure and up-to-date OS (e.g., Ubuntu, Windows Server, etc.).

2. Configure Security Groups

Inbound Rules: Limit access to your instance by configuring security group rules to allow only specific IP addresses (e.g., your home IP) and necessary ports (e.g., port 3389 for RDP or 22 for SSH).

RDP (Windows): TCP port 3389.

SSH (Linux): TCP port 22.

Outbound Rules: Usually, allow all outbound traffic, but you can restrict it if necessary.

3. Use SSH for Secure Access (Linux)

SSH Key Pair: Use SSH key pairs for authentication. Do not use password-based authentication.

SSH Configuration:

Disable root login by editing the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file.

Set PermitRootLogin no.

Set PasswordAuthentication no.

4. Use RDP Securely (Windows)

RDP Settings: Ensure Network Level Authentication (NLA) is enabled.

Strong Passwords: Use strong passwords for all accounts.

5. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

AWS Management Console: Enable MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) on your AWS root and IAM user accounts.

Instance Login: Consider using tools like Google Authenticator, Duo, or others for 2FA on your instance.

6. Encryption

Encrypt EBS Volumes: Ensure that your instance's root and data volumes are encrypted.

Data Encryption: Use SSL/TLS for data in transit. If using RDP, ensure you connect using an encrypted connection.

7. Firewall Configuration

Instance Firewall: Use OS-level firewalls like UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) on Ubuntu or Windows Firewall.

Rules: Only allow necessary ports and IP addresses.

8. Regular Updates and Patching

OS Updates: Regularly update your OS and installed software to patch vulnerabilities.

Automatic Updates: Configure automatic security updates where possible.

9. Monitoring and Logging

AWS CloudWatch: Use AWS CloudWatch for monitoring your instance.

AWS CloudTrail: Enable CloudTrail to log API calls.

OS Logs: Monitor logs on your instance for any suspicious activity.

10. Backups and Snapshots

Regular Backups: Regularly backup your data and create snapshots of your EBS volumes. Retention Policy: Implement a backup retention policy.

You can use Fleet Manager to RDP via a web console. No direct access is needed to the EC2 at a layer 3

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/fleet-rdp.html