Users, thinking about how to remove remote access to a computer in order to protect themselves from outside attacks, install third-party programs without even suspecting that the majority of all hacks are due to standard Windows settings. In the operating system, remote connections to the computer are allowed by default. Trying to facilitate the work of users, Windows developers have included the ability to remotely configure and provide assistance. Such help is only suitable for large corporations that have a system administrator who can fix computer problems within seconds in a different place. For home users, remote access can only facilitate the work of attackers who are eager to hack someone else's system.
How to get to the remote access settings menu?
In just a few minutes, any user can independently remove remote access to a computer.
- For users working under an administrator account, the following steps must be performed sequentially - “Start”, select “Control Panel”. In the window that appears, select "System".
- For users working under a different account or not owning account information, you need to open the "System" window with administrator rights. Click the "Start", "All Programs", "Accessories" button. Having found "Explorer" in the list, run "with administrator privileges". To do this, hold down the Shift button on the keyboard with one finger and click on the Explorer icon with the right mouse button. If the user works with the mouse with his left hand, it means that you need to click the left mouse button. In the list that appears, select the "Run as administrator" field. In the window that opens, in the panel on the left, find and by clicking on “+” open “Control Panel”, then “All Controls” and select “System”.
Disabling remote access in the system menu
Once in the system control, before removing remote access to the computer, you need to find the appropriate section. On the left in the panel, click "System Protection". In the bookmarks bar at the top, select "Remote Access". In the “Remote Assistance” section, uncheck the box next to “Allow connection”. In the "Remote Desktop" menu, set the checkmark next to "Do not allow connections." Click “OK” and close all system windows. Restart your computer through the Start menu. After the reboot, you need to check whether the changes are saved in the system. To do this, re-enter the system properties and make sure that remote connections are not active. If nothing has changed, you need to carefully study the instructions on how to disable remote access, paying attention to obtaining system administrator rights.
Pitfalls of Virtual Private Networks
All Windows users should make sure that the computer is not included in virtual private networks, except in situations where the provider provides Internet services only through a virtual network, which is reported when connected. It is necessary with administrator rights to open the "Control Panel" and select the "Network Control Center" item. Select "Change adapter settings." Before you remove remote access and virtual private networks of Windows 7, you need to find out what connection is used to operate the Internet, otherwise you can cut off your access. If there is more than one connection in the list, it is better to disconnect first before uninstalling, select the "Disconnect" menu. If the shutdown did not affect the Internet, you can delete the icon.
Another loophole - remote Windows registry
Questions related to how to remove remote access to a computer are closed by banal disabling of the remote assistant, but few people remember about the remote registry. But if you think about it by connecting remotely to the registry, you can write any commands in it that, when the system reboots, will not only turn on the assistant again, but also cause additional damage to the computer. With administrator rights, in the control panel, select the "Administration" - "Computer Management" menu. In the left pane of the snap-in that opens, select “Services and Applications” and start “Services”. In the list of services, find “Remote registry” and click on the inscription with the right mouse button. Select properties. In the "Startup Type" field, select "Disabled". Save and restart the computer through the "Start" button.
Disabling Remote Access Using the Command Line
Users who become familiar with the powerful Windows Command Prompt tool will definitely be interested in how to remove remote access to a computer without unnecessary transitions between windows of the operating system. There are two ways: independent input of commands or using an executable file with the extension .bat.
List of commands to disable remote access from the command line| net stop RemoteRegistry | stop the remote registry service |
| sc config RemoteRegistry start = disabled | disable remote registry service |
| net stop winRM | stopping the remote assistance service |
| sc config winRM start = disabled | disabling the remote assistance service |
| net stop RemoteAccess | stopping the remote connection service |
| sc config RemoteAccess start = disabled | disable remote connection service |
After each command, it is recommended to write pause in the executable file, because, without completing work with one service, the command is transferred to another service, which can cause an error in the system with a refusal to execute. If after disabling the necessary services there is no desire to restart the computer, you can immediately stop the service from the command line.