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I would like to know if there is a GPO or something else to access the logon Windows screen in place of direct being connected into a session through RDP ?

3 Answers 3

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Yes.

On the server, you will have to allow RDP sessions with network level authentication disabled (which is in the control panel remote settings), and either your RDP client must be old enough to not support network level authentication (i. e. from WinXP or before) or you have to connect via a .rdp file that contains the option enablecredsspsupport:i:0.

Also some vulnerability scanners will try to connect with network level authentication disabled and take a screenshot of the login screen - which is useful to determine the OS edition, OS language, whether the machine is part of a domain, and (in some cases) some valid user names.

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    thanks to both of you for this precise answer. And sorry for those who judge those little details irrelevant as it has been downvoted, but it has indeed some use on a local network at least for debug purposes.
    – vigilian
    Nov 25, 2017 at 0:15
  • I would just add that logging into a server that has NLA disabled will use more CPU on it (to show the login screen, and perform the authentication). Bad guys can use that to perform a Denial Of Service (DOS) attack on the server.
    – Swisstone
    Nov 28, 2017 at 19:36
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Yes, you would disable “Network Level Authentication.”

If you are looking at the remote access settings on the host, you would enable the setting to “Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop.”

Then you may need to follow a guide like the following, to disable NLA on the client as well. http://blog.backslasher.net/using-remote-desktop-client-without-network-level-authentication.html

It’s considered less secure and should not be enabled on a publicly accessible host.

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If you are referring to remote access to your server, you might want to try, from Windows 10, "type here to search" RDP. Enter the Computer/server IP address on your local network. ie. 192.680.145.71 Press enter and enter username and password. If RDP is enabled and the workstation or server is connected and on you will be logged in.

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Rather sime, but I hope this solves your problem.

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  • No mate but thanks. I wanted to have access to the login menu and not directly into session like I’ve described into my question.
    – vigilian
    Nov 28, 2017 at 19:08

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