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Require Use of Specific Security Layer for Remote Desktop Connections

Enforces TLS for RDP connections. Prevents downgrade attacks.

10 May 20264 min —
Policy path
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Security
Supported on
Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016 and later

Enforces TLS for RDP connections. Prevents downgrade attacks. Security baselines recommend setting it to 2 (SSL/TLS).

Description

Require Use of Specific Security Layer for Remote Desktop Connections is a Windows Group Policy setting located under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Security. It applies to the Computer Configuration branch and is classified as a Warning-level policy in the Remote Desktop Services category.

Enforces TLS for RDP connections. Prevents downgrade attacks.

Microsoft sets the default value to 1 (Negotiate) while industry security baselines (CIS, NIST, DISA STIG) recommend 2 (SSL/TLS).

Under the hood, this policy is enforced through the Windows registry at HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services using the value name SecurityLayer. Modifying the value directly through regedit.exe or PowerShell produces the same effect as configuring the GPO, but going through Group Policy is preferred so that the setting is centrally managed and survives reboots, image rebuilds, and policy refresh cycles.

In-depth explanation

This setting has a meaningful impact on the security posture or operational stability of the system. Leaving it at the Microsoft default is acceptable for standalone or low-risk environments, but most security baselines (CIS, NIST, DISA STIG) explicitly call for hardening it before the device is exposed to untrusted users or networks.

The policy is grouped under Remote Desktop Services, which means it is typically applied through a domain-wide GPO linked at the OU level. In a multi-tenant MSP context, scope it through WMI filters or security group filtering rather than linking at the domain root, so that you can roll out progressively (pilot OU → wider rings → all production).

The setting takes effect after the next Group Policy refresh (gpupdate /force for immediate testing, or by default within ~90 minutes for workstations and ~5 minutes on domain controllers). For computer-side policies a reboot may be required; for user-side policies, a sign-off/sign-on cycle is enough.

Use cases

  • Apply organization-wide hardening of remote desktop services on all domain-joined Windows endpoints.
  • Roll out a CIS Benchmark-aligned baseline targeting 'Require Use of Specific Security Layer for Remote Desktop Connections' via a dedicated GPO.
  • Reduce attack surface for accounts that handle privileged credentials or sensitive data.
  • Standardize the configuration across multiple customer tenants for an MSP-managed fleet.
  • Mitigate BlueKeep, CVE-2019-0708, and brute-force RDP exposure.

Security implications

Leaving this policy at default does not directly grant an attacker access, but it widens the blast radius once initial access is obtained – passwords are easier to guess, lockout doesn't fire, audit trails are incomplete, or lateral movement is quieter. Most regulators and cyber-insurance underwriters now expect this control to be in place at least at the recommended level.

How to configure

  1. Open Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc) on a domain controller or a workstation with RSAT installed.
  2. Create or edit a GPO linked to the OU containing the target computer configurations. We recommend a dedicated baseline GPO (e.g. SEC – Remote Desktop Services) instead of editing Default Domain Policy.
  3. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Security.
  4. Open Require Use of Specific Security Layer for Remote Desktop Connections and set it to 2 (SSL/TLS).
  5. Click OK and close the editor.
  6. On the target endpoint, run gpupdate /force (or wait for the next refresh cycle), then verify with rsop.msc or gpresult /h report.html.

Direct registry path: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\SecurityLayer. You can apply the same change with PowerShell:

New-Item -Path 'HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'SecurityLayer' -Value <value> -Type DWord

Registry mapping

Registry pathHKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
Value nameSecurityLayer
Value typeREG_SZ
Enabled value2 (SSL/TLS)
Disabled value1 (Negotiate)

Frequently asked questions

What does the Require Use of Specific Security Layer for Remote Desktop Connections Group Policy do?
Enforces TLS for RDP connections. Prevents downgrade attacks.
Where do I find this setting in the GPO editor?
Open <code>gpmc.msc</code>, then navigate to <code>Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Security</code> and look for <strong>Require Use of Specific Security Layer for Remote Desktop Connections</strong>.
What is the Microsoft default value?
<code>1 (Negotiate)</code> on a fresh Windows install. Domain-joined machines may inherit a different value if a baseline GPO is already in place.
What value do security baselines recommend?
<code>2 (SSL/TLS)</code> – aligned with CIS, NIST, and DISA STIG guidance for current Windows versions.
Can I configure this without a GPO?
Yes, by writing to <code>HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\SecurityLayer</code> directly via <code>regedit</code>, PowerShell, or Intune. A GPO is preferred for centrally managed environments because it survives reimaging and is easier to audit.