Updated on: July 31, 2024
SafetyDetectives recently had the pleasure of interviewing Jure Pompe, CEO and co-founder of ISL Online. With a pioneering spirit, Jure, alongside CTO Damjan Pipan, founded ISL Online in 2001, when remote desktop technology was just beginning to take shape. Over the years, ISL Online has evolved into a global leader in remote desktop software, serving a diverse clientele, including major enterprises such as Konica Minolta and Swiss Post. In this interview, Jure shares insights into the unique features and robust security measures that distinguish ISL Online, the impact of the pandemic on remote desktop demand, and best practices for securing remote access and support operations.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and your role at ISL Online?
Together with Damjan Pipan, the CTO, I co-founded ISL Online, a remote desktop software company, in 2001. At that time, remote desktop technology was in its infancy, making us pioneers in the field. Since then, we have seen significant growth and transformation. ISL Online now serves users worldwide, including banks, insurance companies, hospitals, universities, and large enterprises such as Konica Minolta, Mitsubishi Chemicals, Canon, and Swiss Post.
Key Features That Set ISL Online Apart from Other Remote Desktop and Web Conferencing Solutions
Security is a top priority for ISL Online, with our remote desktop software being trusted by financial institutions, government agencies, and hospitals dealing with highly sensitive data. We offer scalability and flexibility through cloud, on-premises, and managed private cloud options, catering to both small businesses and large multinational enterprises. ISL Online ensures high performance and reliability, even on low-bandwidth connections, providing robust and stable connections. We provide our customers with fair and transparent business plan with no hidden costs, based on number of concurrent connections and with unlimited number of users and devices. We also offer extensive customization options and white-labeling for enterprises. Additionally, at ISL Online we do our best to offer prompt and quality assistance via live chat and user usually mark our support as outstanding.
Common Security Threats in Remote Desktop Software and How ISL Online Addresses Them
ISL Online addresses several common security threats in remote desktop software. To prevent unauthorized access, users must verify their email to start a trial, and suspicious email domains are flagged to prevent abuse. We employ two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security. Strongest end-to-end encryption is used to protect data against man-in-the-middle attacks. We hold the latest ISO 27001 certification, demonstrating adherence to high security standards, with regular updates and patching of vulnerabilities. Our software integrates seamlessly with firewalls, uses secure ports, and supports reverse proxy to hide servers from direct internet exposure. Additionally, all sessions can be recorded and logged, providing detailed information for security audits and investigations.
Evolution of Demand for Remote Desktop Solutions with Increased Remote Work and ISL Online’s Adaptation
The demand for remote desktop solutions surged during the pandemic as remote work became the norm. ISL Online quickly adapted to meet new customer needs, helping many clients set up secure remote working environments in a short time. The most critical feature in these scenarios was enhanced security, which received our utmost attention. From the remote work perspective, users need secure access to their office computers and resources from their home offices or other distant locations. This can be secured via secure remote access software or through RDP connections via ISL Online without using a VPN. Our technology allows users to avoid port-forwarding, VPN tunneling, and firewall configuration changes, routing RDP sessions through ISL Online to connect to another computer in a local or remote network without compromising security. This feature has become increasingly important with the rise of remote work.
How ISL Online Integrates with Other IT Infrastructure and Tools
ISL Online provides APIs for integrating remote desktop functionalities into existing systems and workflows. We can integrate with Microsoft Active Directory, allowing centralized user management and authentication. We offer both cloud-based and on-premises solutions, allowing integration with existing IT infrastructure based on organizational needs. Additionally, we support Single Sign-On (SSO) protocols, enabling seamless user authentication across multiple services without repeated logins.
Best Practices for Securing Remote Access and Support Operations
We recommend using two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security beyond passwords. It is important to regularly update ISL Online software and keep remote desktop software and all other IT systems updated with the latest security patches. Use comprehensive logging and real-time monitoring to detect and respond to suspicious activities. Define user roles and set permissions for different users to prevent unauthorized access. On our blog, we have written extensively about security and how to secure remote desktop and remote access sessions.