Bandwidth issues and slow connection speeds have always plagued remote support applications. These problems create painful delays between what the guest and host are respectively seeing on their computers. In best case scenarios, both parties are seeing the mouse movements and applications opening at approximately the same time. However, in less ideal conditions, hosts could be seeing a lag time of five to ten seconds or longer. This lag creates a frustrating experience for both parties and results in a waste of valuable time.

Many remote support tools on the market have tried to correct this nuisance by modifying the color depth of the data shipped from the client PC to the host. In other words, these tools take the high-resolution color screen of the guest computer and remove colors, making the appearance a bit more “cartoony.” Another quality settings method will bypass color all together, returning the guest’s screen image in full grayscale. By making these quality changes, a remote support tool can transmit less data, effectively reducing the impact slow connection speeds have on the remote support session.

Up until ScreenConnect 1.7 we have primarily focused on improving the software to better handle the packets of data sent from the guest to the host. But with 1.7 we have made huge strides forward, allowing more control and access to the quality settings of ScreenConnect.

ScreenConnect 1.7 has three color quality settings: high, medium, and low. The high quality setting displays the guest’s remote screen in full color, while the low quality setting displays the screen in complete grayscale. The medium color setting, however, is a sort of hybrid of the high and low quality settings. With the medium color setting enabled, ScreenConnect’s screen capturer will first send screen changes in grayscale mode. Then, when there are no more screen changes to send, ScreenConnect will send the true color information. Interestingly, color and grayscale elements can be displayed on the host’s screen at the same time; a video may be playing in grayscale while the rest of the desktop is in color. This provides improved performance over slow connections while still maintaining some color information. By default, ScreenConnect 1.7 will begin in high color mode and should ScreenConnect’s message queue fill up, the program will automatically switch to medium mode.

ScreenConnect 1.7, a stable release, is now available for download. Test it out for yourself at http://www.screenconnect.com.

Our support team has received a few questions about HIPAA regulations and our remote support software. Some of the questions relate to compliance concerns, while others ask how well our tool can help achieve internal objectives. To assist those customers who need to comply with HIPAA regulations, here is a short summary of HIPAA and how remote support software plays a role in compliance with the act.

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) was introduced into legislation in 1996 and is broken into two main parts. Title I works to make sure people can maintain health coverage as they change or lose their jobs. Title II handles electronic transactions and the security and accessibility of private and potentially sensitive information.

So how is this related to remote support? If you or your company accesses or allows access to computers or servers that house the private medical records of individuals, then you need to be taking the proper precautions to make sure those records remain secure. For the most part, the responsibility is on the owners of the data to ensure the data is stored securely behind firewalls and that proper processes are put in place to access the information. For consultants or employees who would be using remote support to access a computer, your main responsibility is making sure the software you use is encrypted to prevent cryptographic attacks. Additionally, you also must make sure your staff is trained on your own processes to deal with proper use of passwords, following guidelines for security, and utilizing common sense. Your staff must also understand what information they can access and items to avoid in the course of supporting or accessing remote computers.

Is ScreenConnect compliant with the regulations put forth in 45 CFR (all related parts)? The basic requirements on remote support software are data security, accessibility controls, and the protection of the integrity of all data. As a user of ScreenConnect, all the data is securely encrypted during the session to prevent a man-in-the-middle-attack, a form of eavesdropping that allows an attacker to relay and intercept messages between two parties. The ScreenConnect administrator can establish username and password access to prevent unauthorized users of the software.

• ScreenConnect is self-hosted – Security is more easily controlled than tools that transfer data through third party servers located all over the world.
• We are a true remote support application – Each connection requires the permission of someone located at the target computer. This provides additional control and accountability and falls in line with HIPAA requirements for “Access Control”.
• Each user must login via a username/password – The security of these logins is controlled by the ScreenConnect administrator. However, as long as each user is using a unique login, they are abiding by the guidelines of HIPAA.
• Encryption of data – ScreenConnect encrypts data via a AES-256 cipher, which is a well regarded encryption method. One of the primary functions is to protect against a man-in-the-middle attacks.
• Guest Login – Guests are given a password by the host to initiate the session, further securing the “encryption of data” and the prevention of cryptographic attacks.
• Integrity of data– Additional tools and methods are available to further refine your data integrity and/or auditing. Screen recording, SSL security implementation, and integrated chat keep all information in one place under our AES encryption.

We hope this brief overview answers some questions, but feel free to chime in your thoughts in the comments!