New Version Notice - PROXY Pro v10.4 is now available!
Hello Friends of Proxy Networks,
We just released PROXY Pro v10.4!
The new software version is available from the Download page on our website and our upgrade guides are located on the Documentation page.
This minor release includes quite a few new and interesting features all customers can enjoy. Right below is a quick and dirty list you can skim, and beneath you’ll find a more thorough breakdown taken directly from the release notes.
- Screen capture technology enhancement
- Blanking of the Host screen is now available
- New security handshake between Gateway <-> Host; replaces the old Shared Secret model
- Introduced a “Move Hosts” function on the Proxy Web Console
- The Host no longer requires a reboot to finish the installation
- Our Azure AD Integration instructions have a slight change to the setup
- Mobile apps now have a “Dark Mode”
Improved Screen Capture for Windows Hosts (Applies to both P2P and RAS Editions)
The screen capturing engine, also known as User Mode Screen Capture (UMSC), has been updated to use Microsoft’s DirectX Graphics Infrastructure (DXGI). This results in a more responsive remote control and viewing experience. This update ensures we are using the most modern and high-performance APIs available to us.
PROXY Pro Host for Windows Screen Blanking Support (Applies to both P2P and RAS Editions)
The ability to blank the remote Windows Host console during Remote Control has been reintroduced. This provides the remote user privacy while performing sensitive operations. This feature had been available in much older versions of PROXY Pro but had to be removed when changes to the Windows operating system made it unreliable. With this release, it has been completely redesigned and uses modern technology that allows us to ensure screen blanking is reliable. This new method also allows us to display a message on the remote Host console indicating that the machine is currently connected to by a technician. All PROXY Pro clients have been updated to be able to request screen blanking of the remote Host and the Host itself will be configurable to allow or disallow this feature. The Host will advertise the availability of this feature to the Master client and only then will it become an option for the client. Keyboard and mouse input will also be suppressed while the screen is blanked. This is necessary so that a console user cannot interfere with the remote-control session. As a failsafe, C-A-D will still function at the console to get to the Windows Lock Screen. This screen will be operable by both the remote-control connection and the console user, giving the console user the opportunity to log out the session or restart the computer. This new functionality applies only to Hosts running on Windows 10 (build 2004) and later and requires a v10.4 Master.
Improved secure relationship between Hosts and Gateway
The relationship between the Host and Gateway server has been rearchitected. This allows us to deprecate the proprietary “Shared Secret”, when it was needed, and makes things more reliable and easier to manage. This relationship is now standards-based identification using SSL certificates and the TLS protocol. Note that this new relationship is in effect for Host v10.4 when communicating with Gateway Server v10.4; combinations involving older versions will continue with the existing behavior (e.g., Windows Auth if available or Shared Secret).
Web Console “Move Group” Functionality
The Web Console now offers a “Move Group…” context menu item on Groups, which allows the group (and all of its members and descendants) to be moved to a different location in the Group hierarchy.
Web Console “Change Group Memberships” Improvements (Applies to RAS Edition)
The Web Console now provides a better user experience when changing the Group memberships of multiple Hosts. When multiple Hosts are selected and “Change Group Memberships…” is selected, the “Change Group Memberships” dialog appears. Note well that in this case, the dialog only shows the currently selected group, and not all memberships that these Hosts have. The key improvement in this case is when the “+” button is used to add Group memberships, a confirmation dialog appears showing that the group membership change was successful, and how many Hosts were modified. The Change Group Membership dialog remains open, with the same Hosts selected, so additional operations can be performed.
Azure Active Directory Integration now uses Microsoft Graph API
In earlier versions of PROXY, the Azure AD integration used the Azure AD Graph API to query data from AAD. In this release, PROXY now uses the newer Microsoft Graph API. When upgrading a PROXY Pro server that has already been integrated with an Azure AD using the older Azure AD Graph API (v10.3 and earlier), the installer will detect this and offer both guidance and confirmation that the necessary permissions have been updated in Azure prior to continuing the upgrade. Support for European Keyboards in the HTML5 client Although the installed Master and ClickOnce connection windows support reliable remote control of certain European keyboards, the HTML5 remote control client did not. Support for this has been added and tested with QWERTY and DVORAK keyboards against French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.
PROXY Pro Host Installation Improvements (Applies to both P2P and RAS Editions)
As of this release, the PROXY Pro Host no longer ships kernel mode drivers in the Host. This provides an improved installation/upgrade experience by eliminating or at least minimizing the need for a reboot after a new Host is installed. When upgrading from earlier versions of the Host, the drivers are automatically uninstalled, and a system restart is necessary to complete that uninstallation. Clean installation of Host v10.4 no longer requires a restart, and upgrades of Host v10.4 to later versions should not require a restart and will leave the Host service running in a usable state. Note that in prior versions of PROXY, the Host utilized kernel mode drivers for the following functionality:
• Kernel -mode (mirror driver) display capture
• Input injection at kernel level
• Input suppression at kernel level
Additionally, The Host service in the Service Control Manager will now set automatic restart options, like the Gateway Server does. This helps ensure the Host restarts if it fails for any reason.
PROXY Pro Host and Master for iOS and Android (Applies to P2P, RAS and Air Dedicated)
Host for iOS and Host for Android, and Master for iOS, have been updated in their respective App Stores. Enhancements include full support for PROXY Pro v10.4 features, device-wide “Dark Mode” option in the Master, improved ability to share diagnostic logging if needed, ability for an Administrative Web Console user to “Stop Host Instance” on the mobile device, and various small improvements in stability and reliability.
Enhancements and Fixes in v10.4
In addition to the major new features in v10.4, these issues were resolved in this release:
• File Transfer Navigation Tree Improvement: The File Transfer tab will now include the “Downloads” folder and “Shared Desktop” shortcuts for the current %Userprofile% in the navigation tree. These folders will show up for both the local and remote machines providing a console user is logged in.
• Reliable Master Toolbar Representation of Available options: The Host and Master have been updated with a new protocol so that the Master will be able to accurately determine if Manage Visual Effects, Input Suppression, and Screen Blanking are supported on the remote Host. This provides confidence that the selected actions will be enforced at the remote Host as requested. These items are disabled if the features are not available on the connected Host. When selected, the items automatically unselect themselves if the operation is not available at this time.
Thank you very much for keeping up with us!
Ryan Gallager
Proxy Networks Support Team