Error in tightvnc viewer no security types supported raspberry

Error in tightvnc viewer no security types supported raspberry So I did an update today on my Pi 3 running Raspbian. Now when I try to connect to it using VNC from my PC, the VNC viewer goes «No matching security types». That’s with RealVNC. I get the same error when running vncviewer in […]

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  1. Error in tightvnc viewer no security types supported raspberry
  2. Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»
  3. Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»
  4. Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»
  5. Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»
  6. Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»
  7. Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»
  8. Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»
  9. Error in tightvnc viewer no security types supported raspberry
  10. Re: VNC Resolution
  11. Re: VNC Resolution
  12. Re: VNC Resolution
  13. Re: VNC Resolution
  14. Re: VNC Resolution
  15. Re: VNC Resolution
  16. Re: VNC Resolution
  17. Re: VNC Resolution
  18. Re: VNC Resolution
  19. Re: VNC Resolution
  20. Re: VNC Resolution
  21. Re: VNC Resolution
  22. Re: VNC Resolution
  23. TigerVNC viewer: no matching security types
  24. 2 Answers 2
  25. Using RealVNC
  26. Caveat
  27. The Dangers of Open Source VNC-based Software
  28. Lack of support
  29. Indemnity
  30. Compliance with industry governance
  31. Low level of security
  32. Not user friendly
  33. Open your eyes, not your source!

Error in tightvnc viewer no security types supported raspberry

So I did an update today on my Pi 3 running Raspbian. Now when I try to connect to it using VNC from my PC, the VNC viewer goes «No matching security types». That’s with RealVNC. I get the same error when running vncviewer in Solaris 10. If I try TightVNC on the PC, I get «No security types supported». Oddly enough, the VNC Viewer app for Android works fine.

I tried restarting the Pi’s vncserver with «vncserver -Encryption AlwaysOff» but that didn’t help. There seems to be no shortage of questions about this error on the web, but no answers that helped. I searched the forum here and came up empty. Does anyone know what the problem is here?

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

For the benefit of anyone else with this problem, here’s the solution.

Using the Android VNC Viewer app, I was able to open a connection to the Pi. From there I opened the VNC server window. From there I went to the Options menu, set Authentication to «VNC password» and Encryption to «Prefer off». I then clicked OK and that was that. I can now log into the Pi using RealVNC and TightVNC from my PC’s again.

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Languages using left-hand whitespace for syntax are ridiculous

DMs sent on https://twitter.com/DougieLawson or LinkedIn will be answered next month.
Fake doctors — are all on my foes list.

The use of crystal balls and mind reading is prohibited.

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

You can use following steps:
Step 1: If you have VNCServer already running just kill it. Use «vncserver -kill :windowNumber». You can find your window number in the raspberry pi terminal. Generally, you can use 1.

Step 2: Now you should start your VNCServer by the following command «vncserver -Encryption PreferOff -Authentication VncAuth». Hit Enter.

Step 3: This would also prompt you to provide the password just enter a simple one like «raspberry».

Step 4: Go to the VNC Viewer client on your client PC. Enter the IP address of your Raspberry Pi followed by the display number. Ex: «192.168.43.0:1» Click on Connect. Enter the specified password. And you are logged into your VNCServer.

Источник

Error in tightvnc viewer no security types supported raspberry

Brand new raspberry pi user.

Got my pi4 set up with VNC and I can access it perfectly fine via my PC, however for the life of me I can’t get the resolution fixed.

I’ve followed all youtube videos around forcing HDMI via config.txt, setting resolution in raspi-config but I can’t get it to boot up with any changes acted upon.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Re: VNC Resolution

What does your config.txt file look like?

Re: VNC Resolution

For some reason raspi-config now only changes the resolution of the initial boot screen and not the desktop.

I now have to use the GUI Screen Layout Editor to change the desktop resolution.
[Menu] —> [Preferences] —> [Screen Configuration]
Don’t forget to [Apply] after changing resolution.

Re: VNC Resolution

Re: VNC Resolution

I would recommend using the edid options, specifically hdmi_edid_file:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati . t/video.md

This way you could be able to save the EDID information and keep the same resolution settings.

Re: VNC Resolution

I’m using tightvnc and I found that I could easily change the resolution when loading the server.
e.g.
tightvncserver :1 -geometry 1600×900

it can be loaded in your rc.local

Re: VNC Resolution

@lugee
I’m not sure I follow you. When I connect the Raspi to my TV, the resolution always is at 1920x1080x60, even when it’s plugged in after boot. However, when I want to configure the Raspi from my laptop (1366×768) or my PC (1920×1080) without being connected to the TV, I would like to do so via VNC and a resolution of 1280×720. Are you saying the edid file also influences the resolution of the virtual desktop?

@madoglee
I’m using Real VNC server that comes with Raspian (Buster) out of the box without any tweaks. When I connect with TightVNC viewer, I get this message:

—————————
Error in TightVNC Viewer: No security types supported. Server sent security types, but we do not support any of them.
—————————

which is why I have used RealVNC viewer instead. Dunno o

Re: VNC Resolution

If it’s a virtual desktop, then the EDID file won’t influence the resolution. A loaded EDID file will let the Raspberry Pi pretend that the same monitor/tv is always plugged into the Pi, even though that may not be the case. When I started my Pi without a monitor and without this file, RealVNC doesn’t work for me.

I’ve tested two different solutions, depending on which solution you prefer:

When VNC is mirroring a real screen, you can alter the resolution with the following command in the terminal within the VNC session:

Re: VNC Resolution

Thanks, my home dir looks like this though:

which is empty and

which is empty too.

Re: VNC Resolution

Re: VNC Resolution

Re: VNC Resolution

Thanks but since VNC starts flawlessly when connected to an HDMI port, I’m sure it’s no path issue. Still, I’ve entered the absolute path in rc.local and it makes no difference: the Raspi shows ‘cannot currently show the desktop’. After a reboot with the HDMI cable plugged in, I can connect to VNC from my Win PC immediately.

EDIT: Adding hdmi_force_hotplug=1 to /boot/config.txt did the trick. Headless will start in 1280×720 and when plugged in to a TV it will start with 1920×1080 as set via raspi-config.

Re: VNC Resolution

I’ve got one issue left though: say I boot up headlessly and get the 1024×768 resolution (instead of the 1280×720 I actually set in /etc/rc.local) when I connect with vncviewer. Now I want to change this to 1920×1080 cause I’m working from my PC with a FullHD monitor instead of my laptop. So in vncviewer I click ‘Raspberry icon > Preferences > Screen Configuration > Configure > Screens > HDMI-1 > Resolution’ where I can only select

1024×768
800×600
848×480
640×480.

Typing ‘xrandr -s 1920×1080’ yields ‘Size 1920×1080 not found in available modes’ and typing ‘vncserver -geometry 1920×1080’ opens a new instance on screen 2 which requires me to log in there. And when I start Chromium on screen 2 it actually starts on screen 1!

Any idea how to fix this?

Re: VNC Resolution

I’ve got one issue left though: say I boot up headlessly and get the 1024×768 resolution (instead of the 1280×720 I actually set in /etc/rc.local) when I connect with vncviewer. Now I want to change this to 1920×1080 cause I’m working from my PC with a FullHD monitor instead of my laptop. So in vncviewer I click ‘Raspberry icon > Preferences > Screen Configuration > Configure > Screens > HDMI-1 > Resolution’ where I can only select

1024×768
800×600
848×480
640×480.

Typing ‘xrandr -s 1920×1080’ yields ‘Size 1920×1080 not found in available modes’ and typing ‘vncserver -geometry 1920×1080’ opens a new instance on screen 2 which requires me to log in there. And when I start Chromium on screen 2 it actually starts on screen 1!

Источник

TigerVNC viewer: no matching security types

I’m trying to remote control the desktop of a Raspberry Pi (Raspbian Jessie) from a Samsung Chromebook (ARM Arch Linux).

The VNC server running on the Pi is RealVNC.

The VNC viewer on the Chromebook is TigerVNC

I’m getting the following error when I try to connect to the server:

As far as I understood by reading the man pages, vncviewer attempts by default every supported scheme:

Does RealVNC use some encryption scheme that is not supported by TigerVNC?

2 Answers 2

Using RealVNC

As user rodrunner suggested in the comments, one way to get the VNC connection going is by using RealVNC’s vncviewer .

Make sure to uninstall TigerVNC or any other VNC implementations before proceeding.

The package of RealVNC viewer is currently in AUR, you can install it via aura :

Assuming your Raspberry Pi’s host name is the default, connect to it with

You’ll be prompted for your Raspberry Pi’s login credentials:

Press OK and you should be connected:

Caveat

On their company blog, RealVNC published an article on May 28th, 2019 titled «The Dangers of Open Source VNC-based Software». The article claims that proprietary software is superior to open source software in terms of security, support, regulatory compliance, and user-friendliness.

In combination with TigerVNC’s incompatibilities with other VNC implementations, it seems to be an attempt at vendor-lock in, making me steer clear of TigerVNC.

The blog article used to be at https://discover.realvnc.com/blog/the-dangers-of-open-source-vnc-based-software , was since taken down, but a version from September 3rd, 2020 can still be accessed via this Wayback Machine entry.

Here’s the full blog article:

The Dangers of Open Source VNC-based Software

Author: Eden Jefford | 28 May 2019

Everybody loves a freebie, from a sample of chocolate at the mall to a promotional stress ball, but is it always a good idea? When it comes to sweets and sundries, we’re not going to stop you unless you’re taking them from a stranger in a van, but for software, there might be more risks than you think.

While the “stranger in the van of candy” scenario presents fairly obvious risks, using an open source program with no price tag can seem on paper much less dangerous. It does the job you need it for, doesn’t break your budget, and it has glowing reviews from people who greatly appreciate its most attractive feature: not costing any money – what could go wrong? We’ve put together a list of a few good reasons why open source VNC-based software can be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Publicity of exploits

Open source at its core means that all the code behind the program is visible for anyone on the internet. This can work out great when bugs arise – lots of passionate eyes on the code means potential issues could be spotted quicker, and therefore patched quicker – but it can also pose a very real security risk for those using the program. While most users in the community will be purely focused on improving the software, some will be examining the code for ways to exploit and hack into any vulnerabilities.

Especially with remote access software, a well-placed hack can be devastating, and expose whole networks to the hacker without them needing to be anywhere near your computers in person. However, with closed source (also known as proprietary) software, the source code is not published outside of the organization with the rights to it.

This makes it far less vulnerable than open source, as not just anyone can scrutinize the code, therefore making it much more difficult to crack into. Think of it like trying to complete a 10,000-piece jigsaw in the dark – it’s still technically possible to do, but it’ll be a lot easier if the light is on!

Lack of support

While a community with a broad range of skills and expertise can be great for finding solutions to problems you’re encountering, it can also have its downsides. Every user on a support forum for open source software is a volunteer. They have no obligation to respond to queries, or to even check for new questions in the first place.

This means that you’re fully reliant on the goodwill of the internet to provide support, and when using the software is critical for your business, that can mean not only lost time, but lost revenue too.

With proprietary software, you can pick up the phone, send an email, or use a live chat knowing that a dedicated and highly trained person will get back to you as soon as possible, and do everything they can to help: in fact, helping you solve a problem is literally their job. Additionally, customer service agents are made accountable for the advice they provide – on a forum, an anonymous username can very easily give deliberately wrong or harmful ‘advice’ with no consequences.

Indemnity

Data breaches are unfortunately an ever present risk, and there seems to be a new one in the news every other day. Especially with recent data protection laws, such as the GDPR for those doing business in Europe, the repercussions for such leaks can also be catastrophic.

As open source software isn’t owned by anyone, and is offered under a General Public License (GPL), there isn’t a company to guarantee for its security (or lack thereof). If a data breach happens through that software, it’s all on the user, aka you or your business. You would be responsible for any legal or financial impact the leak causes, the fallout of which could be considerable depending on the size of the breach and the sensitivity of the data exposed.

Even if your company has professional indemnity insurance, if you are using software that is not secure and compliant with data protection regulations in your industry, your insurance can be rendered invalid due to willful negligence. Not to mention the reputational damage.

Compliance with industry governance

Compliance is a great concern for many industries, with many having very specific requirements in order to meet the necessary standard, be it HIPAA, PCI-DSS, GDPR, or any other regulatory laws. With records now being almost entirely digital, it is more important than ever for software to comply with industry governance, and not all software is going to fit the bill.

Open source software can be added to by anyone, with no thorough testing or vetting, and is not compliant with regulations by default. This not only negates the savings of using free software by requiring custom code (skillful coders aren’t cheap!) but can also leave you vulnerable through a lack of updates.

For instance, open source VNC-based software runs on the last publicly available release of the RFB (Remote Frame Buffer) protocol – v3.8, which came out in 2010: to put it into perspective, the current version of RFB is v6, and was released in early 2019.

Technology has moved at lightning speed over the last decade, and regular updates are vital to keeping software secure. Using a highly outdated version of any software can be dangerous when it comes to security, and fines for non-compliance with standards can be considerable. Can you afford to take that risk when you really don’t need to?

Low level of security

Brute force password attacks are still the easiest way hackers can gain access to your accounts and data, as many people use simple passwords that are very quick for an automated program to crack, especially with so many cracked passwords circulating on the internet.

Using longer and more complex passwords along with Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA/MFA) are the best ways to combat this vulnerability, but with open source VNC-based software, passwords have a hard limit of 8 characters, and there is no native 2FA/MFA. Open source VNC-based software does not encrypt any session data, but on proprietary software all sessions are now 128/256-bit AES encrypted. This is again due to the outdated version of the RFB protocol mentioned earlier, and is probably the most dangerous part of open source VNC-based software on this list.

Using proprietary remote access software, security tools are built in and updated regularly, as security is the biggest concern within the remote access industry. High levels of encryption, complex password capabilities, 2FA/MFA, and rich session permissions are now built in as standard with many paid remote access services, giving you and your company peace of mind you just can’t get with open source.

Not user friendly

Open source projects are primarily built and updated with only developers in mind, so the usability for people less technologically savvy can suffer considerably. From clunky and confusing user interfaces, to complicated installation and setup, they just aren’t designed to be used by the layman.

This can result not only in a poor experience for the user, but also in additional vulnerabilities. With a baffling UI, an inexperienced user could easily end up giving access to unauthorized people, getting stuck in strange glitches, and opening a portal to the underworld, all in a single session.

Open your eyes, not your source!

Consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) rather than the upfront cost – while free is appealing, it could easily end up costing much more than a paid service in the long run. Your business is worth the investment, and the freeware is not worth the possible risks.

Источник

Michele31415

Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 10:22 pm

VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

So I did an update today on my Pi 3 running Raspbian. Now when I try to connect to it using VNC from my PC, the VNC viewer goes «No matching security types». That’s with RealVNC. I get the same error when running vncviewer in Solaris 10. If I try TightVNC on the PC, I get «No security types supported». Oddly enough, the VNC Viewer app for Android works fine.

I tried restarting the Pi’s vncserver with «vncserver -Encryption AlwaysOff» but that didn’t help. There seems to be no shortage of questions about this error on the web, but no answers that helped. I searched the forum here and came up empty. Does anyone know what the problem is here?


Michele31415

Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 10:22 pm

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:59 am

Update

For the benefit of anyone else with this problem, here’s the solution.

Using the Android VNC Viewer app, I was able to open a connection to the Pi. From there I opened the VNC server window. From there I went to the Options menu, set Authentication to «VNC password» and Encryption to «Prefer off». I then clicked OK and that was that. I can now log into the Pi using RealVNC and TightVNC from my PC’s again.


User avatar

DougieLawson

Posts: 42328
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:19 pm
Location: A small cave in deepest darkest Basingstoke, UK

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Mon Mar 06, 2017 7:15 am

Languages using left-hand whitespace for syntax are ridiculous

DMs sent on https://twitter.com/DougieLawson or LinkedIn will be answered next month.
Fake doctors — are all on my foes list.

The use of crystal balls and mind reading is prohibited.


Michele31415

Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 10:22 pm

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Mon Mar 06, 2017 4:50 pm

That’s the one I’m using. It’s lucky it worked too, as the procedure for changing this via ssh looked a lot more complex. And as I have no HDMI cable, that’s my only access.



User avatar

jahboater

Posts: 8513
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 6:38 pm
Location: Wonderful West Dorset

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Wed Mar 22, 2017 6:41 pm

kdebruine wrote:Thanks. This fixed it on my RPi 3 running Jennie. I use TightVNC Viewer.

Did you mean «Jessie» on your Pi3?


estufa8

Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2016 1:59 pm

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Sun Dec 10, 2017 2:53 pm

Michele31415 wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:59 am


set Authentication to «VNC password» and Encryption to «Prefer off».

Thanks, it worked! I used Chrome VNC from Windows to set that config. Now I can connect using RealVNC.


PiPilotDi.ink.ar

Posts: 1
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 6:04 pm

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Thu May 30, 2019 6:27 pm

You can use following steps:
Step 1: If you have VNCServer already running just kill it. Use «vncserver -kill :windowNumber». You can find your window number in the raspberry pi terminal. Generally, you can use 1.

Step 2: Now you should start your VNCServer by the following command «vncserver -Encryption PreferOff -Authentication VncAuth». Hit Enter.

Step 3: This would also prompt you to provide the password just enter a simple one like «raspberry».

Step 4: Go to the VNC Viewer client on your client PC. Enter the IP address of your Raspberry Pi followed by the display number. Ex: «192.168.43.0:1» Click on Connect. Enter the specified password. And you are logged into your VNCServer.

Hope this would help.


cwclee

Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2019 7:30 am

Re: VNC viewer: «No matching security types»

Tue Nov 26, 2019 7:36 am

Hi PiPilotDi.ink.ar,
Your solution is working for me. However, once the Pi re-started, I have to run the command «vncserver -Encryption PreferOff -Authentication VncAuth» again. How can I add the command some where in Pi so the command will run once the Pi starts?

Thank you!


Return to “Troubleshooting”

No security types supported. Im trying to remote control the desktop of a raspberry pi raspbian jessie from a.

Raspberry Pi Screen Sharing With Tightvnc Pi My Life Up

no security types supported tightvnc raspberry pi is important information accompanied by photo and HD pictures sourced from all websites in the world. Download this image for free in High-Definition resolution the choice «download button» below. If you do not find the exact resolution you are looking for, then go for a native or higher resolution.

Don’t forget to bookmark no security types supported tightvnc raspberry pi using Ctrl + D (PC) or Command + D (macos). If you are using mobile phone, you could also use menu drawer from browser. Whether it’s Windows, Mac, iOs or Android, you will be able to download the images using download button.

They are highly recommended for connecting to your raspberry pi over the internet.

No security types supported tightvnc raspberry pi. Raspberry pi stack exchange is a question and answer site for users and developers of hardware and software for raspberry pi. The sharing part is configured as it should as you can see here. Server sent security types.

With our raspberry pi now entirely up to date we can now move to install vino. It seems that the update changed the security type to a new one not known by tightvnc it happened in the past. No security types supported.

The types of encryption supported for vnc are. We have to install vino since the default one present on the raspberry pi does not accept this behavior and creates each connection is a new session. No security types supported.

Server sent security types but we do not support any of them. Make no expectations of security for this connection or the data on the raspberry pi but dont let that stop you using it. Cloud connections are convenient and encrypted end to end.

Are you connecting to a realvnc server. No security types supported. Jump has a built in ssh client that can connect to target over ssh and then automatically create a forwarding to the vnc server.

Theres no firewall or router reconfiguration and you dont need to know the ip address of your raspberry pi or provide a static one. How to set vnc security settings using ssh. Default is to attempt every supported scheme.

If i try tightvnc on the pc i get no security types supported. For personal use across networks its only 1699 per year and your user will enjoy the high performance remote access to a mac and other computers. Server sent security types but we do not support any of their.

Oddly enough the vnc viewer app for android works fine. Server sent security types. No matching security types.

How to set vnc security settings using ssh. Tlsnone tlsvnc tlsplain x509none x509vnc and x509plain. Raspberry pi stack exchange is a question and answer site for users and developers of hardware and software for raspberry pi.

Server sent security types but we do not support any of them. This is the vnc server we will utilize to provide us screen sharing on the raspberry pi. I tried restarting the pis vncserver with vncserver encryption alwaysoff but that didnt help.

Splashtop personal is a high performance cost effective remote access solution and its free for non commercial use inside lan environment. Does realvnc use some encryption scheme that is not supported by. Were only using it for the convenience and because we should arguably be more interested in learning about using computers on a home network than being worried about whether or not we will be hacked.

No security types supported. Yes encryption over vnc is supported. If so it uses proprietary encryption which not supported.

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#1563 Can’t connect to Raspberry Pi OS — Server sent security types, but we do not support any of them.



Status:
open

Owner:
nobody

Labels:
None

Priority:
5

Updated:


2021-08-23

Created:

2021-08-20

Private:
No

Fresh install of Raspberry Pi OS on an RPi 3B+. See attached log file.

1 Attachments

Discussion

  • Anton

    Hi!

    [18792/29116] 2021-08-20 15:27:59 : Security Types received (5): Unknown type (13), Unknown type (5), Unknown type (6), Unknown type (130), Unknown type (192)
    [18792/29116] 2021-08-20 15:27:59 + RemoteViewerCore. Exception: No security types supported. Server sent security types, but we do not support any of them.

    TightVNC viever does not support RealVNC security types, you need to configure the server for VNC authentication security type https://github.com/rfbproto/rfbproto/blob/master/rfbproto.rst#id23 or install another VNC server


Log in to post a comment.

As user rodrunner suggested in the comments, one way to get the VNC connection going is by using RealVNC’s vncviewer.

Make sure to uninstall TigerVNC or any other VNC implementations before proceeding.

On their company blog, RealVNC published an article on May 28th, 2019 titled «The Dangers of Open Source VNC-based Software». The article claims that proprietary software is superior to open source software in terms of security, support, regulatory compliance, and user-friendliness.

In combination with TigerVNC’s incompatibilities with other VNC implementations, it seems to be an attempt at vendor-lock in, making me steer clear of TigerVNC.

The blog article used to be at https://discover.realvnc.com/blog/the-dangers-of-open-source-vnc-based-software, was since taken down, but a version from September 3rd, 2020 can still be accessed via this Wayback Machine entry.

The Dangers of Open Source VNC-based Software

Author: Eden Jefford | 28 May 2019

ErrorBox: OpenSource.exe - Your business could be at risk - Using open source VNC-based software could be putting you unnecessarily in danger.

Everybody loves a freebie, from a sample of chocolate at the mall to a promotional stress ball, but is it always a good idea? When it comes to sweets and sundries, we’re not going to stop you unless you’re taking them from a stranger in a van, but for software, there might be more risks than you think.

While the “stranger in the van of candy” scenario presents fairly obvious risks, using an open source program with no price tag can seem on paper much less dangerous. It does the job you need it for, doesn’t break your budget, and it has glowing reviews from people who greatly appreciate its most attractive feature: not costing any money – what could go wrong? We’ve put together a list of a few good reasons why open source VNC-based software can be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Publicity of exploits

Open source at its core means that all the code behind the program is visible for anyone on the internet. This can work out great when bugs arise – lots of passionate eyes on the code means potential issues could be spotted quicker, and therefore patched quicker – but it can also pose a very real security risk for those using the program. While most users in the community will be purely focused on improving the software, some will be examining the code for ways to exploit and hack into any vulnerabilities.

Especially with remote access software, a well-placed hack can be devastating, and expose whole networks to the hacker without them needing to be anywhere near your computers in person. However, with closed source (also known as proprietary) software, the source code is not published outside of the organization with the rights to it.

This makes it far less vulnerable than open source, as not just anyone can scrutinize the code, therefore making it much more difficult to crack into. Think of it like trying to complete a 10,000-piece jigsaw in the dark – it’s still technically possible to do, but it’ll be a lot easier if the light is on!

Lack of support

While a community with a broad range of skills and expertise can be great for finding solutions to problems you’re encountering, it can also have its downsides. Every user on a support forum for open source software is a volunteer. They have no obligation to respond to queries, or to even check for new questions in the first place.

This means that you’re fully reliant on the goodwill of the internet to provide support, and when using the software is critical for your business, that can mean not only lost time, but lost revenue too.

With proprietary software, you can pick up the phone, send an email, or use a live chat knowing that a dedicated and highly trained person will get back to you as soon as possible, and do everything they can to help: in fact, helping you solve a problem is literally their job. Additionally, customer service agents are made accountable for the advice they provide – on a forum, an anonymous username can very easily give deliberately wrong or harmful ‘advice’ with no consequences.

Indemnity

Data breaches are unfortunately an ever present risk, and there seems to be a new one in the news every other day. Especially with recent data protection laws, such as the GDPR for those doing business in Europe, the repercussions for such leaks can also be catastrophic.

As open source software isn’t owned by anyone, and is offered under a General Public License (GPL), there isn’t a company to guarantee for its security (or lack thereof). If a data breach happens through that software, it’s all on the user, aka you or your business. You would be responsible for any legal or financial impact the leak causes, the fallout of which could be considerable depending on the size of the breach and the sensitivity of the data exposed.

Even if your company has professional indemnity insurance, if you are using software that is not secure and compliant with data protection regulations in your industry, your insurance can be rendered invalid due to willful negligence. Not to mention the reputational damage.

Compliance with industry governance

Compliance is a great concern for many industries, with many having very specific requirements in order to meet the necessary standard, be it HIPAA, PCI-DSS, GDPR, or any other regulatory laws. With records now being almost entirely digital, it is more important than ever for software to comply with industry governance, and not all software is going to fit the bill.

Open source software can be added to by anyone, with no thorough testing or vetting, and is not compliant with regulations by default. This not only negates the savings of using free software by requiring custom code (skillful coders aren’t cheap!) but can also leave you vulnerable through a lack of updates.

For instance, open source VNC-based software runs on the last publicly available release of the RFB (Remote Frame Buffer) protocol – v3.8, which came out in 2010: to put it into perspective, the current version of RFB is v6, and was released in early 2019.

Technology has moved at lightning speed over the last decade, and regular updates are vital to keeping software secure. Using a highly outdated version of any software can be dangerous when it comes to security, and fines for non-compliance with standards can be considerable. Can you afford to take that risk when you really don’t need to?

Low level of security

Brute force password attacks are still the easiest way hackers can gain access to your accounts and data, as many people use simple passwords that are very quick for an automated program to crack, especially with so many cracked passwords circulating on the internet.

Using longer and more complex passwords along with Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA/MFA) are the best ways to combat this vulnerability, but with open source VNC-based software, passwords have a hard limit of 8 characters, and there is no native 2FA/MFA. Open source VNC-based software does not encrypt any session data, but on proprietary software all sessions are now 128/256-bit AES encrypted. This is again due to the outdated version of the RFB protocol mentioned earlier, and is probably the most dangerous part of open source VNC-based software on this list.

Using proprietary remote access software, security tools are built in and updated regularly, as security is the biggest concern within the remote access industry. High levels of encryption, complex password capabilities, 2FA/MFA, and rich session permissions are now built in as standard with many paid remote access services, giving you and your company peace of mind you just can’t get with open source.

Not user friendly

Open source projects are primarily built and updated with only developers in mind, so the usability for people less technologically savvy can suffer considerably. From clunky and confusing user interfaces, to complicated installation and setup, they just aren’t designed to be used by the layman.

This can result not only in a poor experience for the user, but also in additional vulnerabilities. With a baffling UI, an inexperienced user could easily end up giving access to unauthorized people, getting stuck in strange glitches, and opening a portal to the underworld, all in a single session.

Open your eyes, not your source!

Consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) rather than the upfront cost – while free is appealing, it could easily end up costing much more than a paid service in the long run. Your business is worth the investment, and the freeware is not worth the possible risks.

Written by Eden Jefford

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