IP Library Granted Patent US 11,005,914
Granted Patent B2
US 11,005,914 · App. 16/600,060 · Granted May 11, 2021

Hidden desktop session for remote access

Inventors: Jake Morgan (Raleigh, NC); Max Booth (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: ConnectWise, LLC.
H04L67/025G06F3/038G06F9/452H04L67/28G06F2203/0383
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,005,914
App. No.
16/600,060
Granted
May 11, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods of the present disclosure are directed to providing remote access capabilities in information technology infrastructure. In particular, systems and methods of the present disclosure can provide remotely access capabilities to facilitate the management, configuration, or maintenance of information technology infrastructure.

Claims (57)

1. A method of remotely managing computing devices, comprising:

identifying, by a remote management server, a first remote computing device according to a first support ticket, the first remote computing device executing a system session zero that defaults to a non-interactive state in which system services are hidden from a user session executed by the first remote computing device for an end user of the first remote computing device;

establishing, by the remote management server, one or more connections communicatively coupling the first remote computing device to a host computing device;

hijacking, by the remote management server via the one or more established connections, the system session zero executed on the first remote computing device;

transitioning, by the remote management server via the one or more established connections, the hijacked system session zero from the non-interactive state to an interactive state;

generating, by the remote management server, a hidden desktop within the hijacked system session zero executed on the first remote computing device to be displayed on a display device of the host computing device, wherein the hidden desktop is hidden from the end user of the first remote computing device;

identifying, by the remote management server, one or more instructions inputted through the hidden desktop by the host computing device to update a configuration of the first remote computing device; and

terminating, by the remote management server responsive to a command from the host computing device, the hijacked system session zero by transitioning the hijacked system session zero from the interactive state to the non-interactive state.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

closing, by the remote management server, the first support ticket in response to the one or more instructions being executed, in a hidden manner, in the hijacked system session zero of the first remote computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the remote management server from a database storing the first support ticket associated with the first remote computing device, the first support ticket responsive to the first remote computing device generating the first support ticket;

receiving, by the remote management server from the database storing a second support ticket associated with either the first remote computing device or a second remote computing device, the second support ticket responsive to the first remote computing device or the second remote computing device generating the second support ticket;

determining, by the remote management server communicating with the database, a first priority of the first support ticket based on a first status of the first support ticket;

determining, by the remote management server communicating with the database, a second priority of the second support ticket based on a second status of the second support ticket; and

determining that the first priority is higher than the second priority to identify the first remote computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein transitioning the hijacked system session zero from the non-interactive state to the interactive state further comprises:

adding, by the remote management server via the one or more established connections, a registry key to a registry of the first remote computing device to cause the hijacked system session zero to transition from the non-interactive state to the interactive state.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hidden desktop includes at least one of an interactive power shell and an interactive command prompt.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

communicating, by the remote management server, with one or more web applications to provide one or more interactive user interfaces on the hidden desktop.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

composing, by the remote management server, one or more windows stations within the hijacked system session zero to generate the hidden desktop.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the remote management server via the one or more established connections, the one or more instructions to the first remote computing device to be executed, in a hidden manner, to close the first support ticket.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instructions are inputted through the hidden desktop by one or more input devices communicatively coupled to the host computing device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing, by the remote management server, one or more toolboxes to launch one or more web applications on the hidden desktop.

11. A system to remotely manage computing devices, comprising:

a remote management server comprising one or more processors and memory configured to:

identify a first remote computing device according to a first support ticket, the first remote computing device executing a system session zero that defaults to a non-interactive state in which system services are hidden from a user session executed by the first remote computing device for an end user of the first remote computing device;

establish one or more connections communicatively coupling the first remote computing device to a host computing device;

hijack the system session zero executed on the first remote computing device via the one or more established connections;

transition, via the one or more established connections, the hijacked system session zero from the non-interactive state to an interactive state;

generate a hidden desktop within the hijacked system session zero executed on the first remote computing device to be displayed on a display device of the host computing device;

identify one or more instructions inputted through the hidden desktop by the host computing device to update a configuration of the first remote computing device; and

responsive to a command from the host computing device, terminate the hijacked system session zero by transitioning the hijacked system session zero from the interactive state to the non-interactive state.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the remote management server is further configured to:

close the first support ticket in response to the one or more instructions being executed, in a hidden manner, in the hijacked system session zero of the first remote computing device.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the remote management server is further configured to:

add a registry key to a registry of the first remote computing device to cause the hijacked system session zero to transition from the non-interactive state to the interactive state.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the hidden desktop includes at least one of an interactive power shell and an interactive command prompt.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the remote management server is further configured to:

communicate with one or more web applications to provide one or more interactive user interfaces on the hidden desktop.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the remote management server is further configured to:

compose one or more windows stations within the hijacked system session zero to generate the hidden desktop.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the remote management server is further configured to:

transmit the one or more instructions via the one or more established connections to the first remote computing device to be executed, in a hidden manner, to close the first support ticket.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more instructions are inputted through the hidden desktop by one or more input devices communicatively coupled to the host computing device.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the remote management server is further configured to:

provide one or more toolboxes to launch one or more web applications on the hidden desktop.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the remote management server is further configured to:

receive, from a database storing the first support ticket associated with the first remote computing device, the first support ticket responsive to the first remote computing device generating the first support ticket;

receive, from the database storing a second support ticket associated with either the first remote computing device or a second remote computing device, the second support ticket responsive to the first remote computing device or the second remote computing device generating the second support ticket;

determine a first priority of the first support ticket based on a first status of the first support ticket;

determine a second priority of the second support ticket based on a second status of the second support ticket; and

determine that the first priority is higher than the second priority to identify the first remote computing device.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2021
From: CONNECTWISE, LLC; DIPPELL & ASSOCIATES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 057771/0004 →
CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION Recorded Mar 26, 2021
From: CONNECTWISE, INC.
To: CONNECTWISE, LLC.
Reel/Frame 055743/0264 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2019
From: MORGAN, JAKE; BOOTH, MAX
To: CONNECTWISE INC.
Reel/Frame 050835/0231 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62745049 · Oct 12, 2018
Provisional Application 62755728 · Nov 5, 2018
Related Publication 20200120153A1 · Apr 16, 2020