18.9.65.3.2.1 Ensure 'Restrict Remote Desktop Services users to a single Remote Desktop Services session' is set to 'Enabled'

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Information

This policy setting allows you to restrict users to a single Remote Desktop Services session.

The recommended state for this setting is: Enabled.

Rationale:

This setting ensures that users & administrators who Remote Desktop to a server will continue to use the same session - if they disconnect and reconnect, they will go back to the same session they were using before, preventing the creation of a second simultaneous session. This both prevents unnecessary resource usage by having the server host unnecessary additional sessions (which would put extra load on the server) and also ensures a consistency of experience for the user.

Impact:

None - this is the default behavior.

Solution

To establish the recommended configuration via GP, set the following UI path to Enabled:

Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Connections\Restrict Remote Desktop Services users to a single Remote Desktop Services session

Note: This Group Policy path is provided by the Group Policy template TerminalServer.admx/adml that is included with all versions of the Microsoft Windows Administrative Templates.

Note #2: In older Microsoft Windows Administrative Templates, this setting was named Restrict Terminal Services users to a single remote session, but it was renamed starting with the Windows 7 & Server 2008 R2 Administrative Templates.

Default Value:

Enabled. (Users who log on remotely by using Remote Desktop Services will be restricted to a single session (either active or disconnected) on that server. If the user leaves the session in a disconnected state, the user automatically reconnects to that session at the next logon.)

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/3973