How do I set up Blacksands Remote Desktop Service (BiRDS) Client on a PC?

1. 1.BsIRDS

“Blacksands Inc Remote Desktop Services” (pronounced b-i-r-d-s)

BsIRDS allows a secure, remote, point to point, encrypted connection to single desktop. BiRDS installs the application KeyExchange, this application will pair tokens with a given Blacksands Receiver.  KeyExchange will only communicate to Blacksands Receiver’s backend private networks 10.0.0.0/8 (255.0.0.0), 172.16.0.0/12 (255.240.0.0), 192.168.0.0/16 (255.255.0.0) using IPv4 addressing.  Installing BsIRDS and running the Key Exchange will require Windows local administrator permissions.  BsIRDS can only be paired with a single Blacksands Receiver. 

2. 2.Installation 

1. Download BiRDS Installer

1. Go to https://s3.amazonaws.com/bsi-release/www/index.html and select Download BsIRDS Client
2. Double click on SetupBiRDS-{version}.exe this will require Windows Administrator Permissions 

3. Please read the License Agreement then Select I Agree or CancelThe installer will start extracting the required files

4. Select Finish 

Executing BiRDS

BiRDS can be initiated the following ways

1. Desktop shortcut 
2. Windows Start Menu 

 BiRDS Configuration

Every time the BiRDS application is able to successfully connect to a Blacksands Virtual Receiver the following system checks are performed:

1. A new local service account will be created called BiRDS.
2. Windows firewall rules will be set to only allow the Blacksands Virtual Receiver to talk to the BiRDS application.
3. The Blacksands Virtual Receiver’s token will be added to the BiRDS configuration

Initiate the BiRDS Application with Administrator permissions, input the Blacksands Virtual Receiver private IPv4 address and press the Sync button.

The first time Key Exchange is run, you will be presented with a prompt that will require you to perform an action of pressing the Enter or Return key (depending on your keyboard layout) 

Click OK 

New screen will open requiring you to press Enter or Return 

Once you see the Thank you popup, you can select OK and close the Key Exchange application.

 

Blacksands BiRDS application configuration is now complete

4. If client computer is using a different firewall than the local Windows Firewall, those rules will have to be configured manually.

Direction	Remote IPv4	Local Port	Action	Application
Ingress	Receivers Private IP	22	Allow	NA
Ingress	127.0.0.1/32	5900	Allow	NA
Egress	NA	NA	Allow	c:\Program Files\BsIRDS\KeyExchange.exe