How to Setup IIS for SSL Perfect Forward Secrecy and TLS 1.2 on Windows Server Essentials

Windows Server Essentials provides a built-in Remote Web Access website that allows users to remotely access their servers. However, setting up Internet Information Services (IIS) for SSL perfect forward secrecy and TLS 1.2 requires some configuration changes. In this article, we will walk you through the process of enabling TLS 1.2 on Windows Server Essentials while disabling TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1.

To start, open the server Dashboard application and navigate to the main 'WSE REMOTEAPP' page. Click on the 'Remote Desktop Session Settings' task located in the 'Users Tasks' pane. This will open a new window where you can configure the Remote Desktop settings for your Essentials server.

In this window, scroll down to the 'Security' section and click on the 'Edit' button next to 'SSL/TLS'. In the SSL/TLS settings window, select the option to enable TLS 1.2 and disable TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1. This will ensure that your server is using the most secure version of TLS available.

Once you have made these changes, click on the 'OK' button to save your settings. You can then restart the Remote Web Access service by clicking on the 'Restart' button next to it in the 'Services' section of the Dashboard application.

After restarting the service, you can test your server's SSL/TLS configuration using a tool like SSL Labs SSL Server Test site. With TLS 1.2 enabled and TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 disabled, you should be able to obtain an A+ grade from the test site for your Essentials server's built-in Remote Web Access website.

It's worth noting that these changes require the latest release of WSE RemoteApp (Version 1.255.1836.0 or greater) in order to work correctly. Additionally, the NET Framework security settings must be added to both the server and all client computers.

In conclusion, setting up IIS for SSL perfect forward secrecy and TLS 1.2 on Windows Server Essentials is a straightforward process that can be completed with a few simple steps. By following these instructions, you can enhance the security of your SSL connections made with the server and comply with the latest compliance standards for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP).

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