Remote desktop (RDP) via SSH tunnel (using Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac)

README.md

Description

Connect to remote desktop services via a bastion host using an SSH tunnel. Helpful when you have SSH access to a (eg, Linux) server with network access to the remote desktop hosts.

This works with Mac OS X, because it comes with SSH and Microsoft makes a pretty good RD client for Mac. The same overall approach should work with other SSH clients and other RD clients.

Note: This approach is not recommended for anyone. Instead, one should use a Remote Desktop Gateway (on Windows Server) or a real VPN.

Setup

Requires the following information:

• Hostname of the bastion host
• Hostnames of the remote desktop hosts, as viewed from the bastion host.

1. Save ssh-config-rdp to ~/.ssh/ and edit as indicated in file.
2. Save rdp_via_bastion.bash to preferred bin directory (eg, ~/bin or /usr/local/bin) and chmod +x.
3. Import remote0_via_bastion.rdp into Microsoft Remote Desktop app, then edit to fix name and other settings.
4. Repeat with remote1_via_bastion.rdp.

Usage

1. Run rdp_via_bastion.bash to create the SSH tunnel.
2. Connect to saved session. Note: Expect complaints about certificate mismatch.

To add a new remote address, edit ~/.ssh/ssh-config-rdp and add a new line:

  LocalForward  13392 remote2.some.address:3389

Then add a new saved session in Microsoft Remote Desktop app. Be sure to match the localhost port number.

rdp_via_bastion.bash

#!/bin/bash
ssh -F ${HOME}/.ssh/ssh-config-rdp bastion

remote0_via_bastion.rdp

full address:s:localhost:13390

remote1_via_bastion.rdp

full address:s:localhost:13391

ssh-config-rdp

Host bastion
  HostName      <Specify actual hostname for bastion>
  LocalForward  13390 <Specify hostname for remote0>:3389
  LocalForward  13391 <Specify hostname for remote1>:3389
  <Other SSH settings...>