RemoteManager

Part of the VynTech Ecosystem
A modern, open-source, native Windows connection & credential manager for RDP, SSH, VNC, and Web sessions with zero credential collisions.

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💡 The Problem: Windows RDP Credential Overwrite

If you manage servers or workstations using standard Windows Remote Desktop (mstsc.exe), you've likely encountered this frustrating limitation:

Windows Credential Manager indexes saved credentials strictly by the target IP or hostname:

TERMSRV/192.168.1.50

Because Credential Manager only stores a single credential per target key, checking "Remember me" for a second account (e.g. Domain\Auditor) permanently overwrites the saved password of your previous account (e.g. Domain\Administrator) on that IP.

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⚡ The Solution: RemoteManager

RemoteManager is purpose-built to solve this exact problem:

• Zero Credential Collisions: Store dozens of unique accounts (Admin, User1, ServiceAccount) pointing to the exact same host or IP without them ever conflicting.
• Embedded Tabbed Sessions: Run concurrent RDP, VNC, and Web sessions side-by-side in tabs, with integrated SSH console launch.
• Flexible Display Modes:
  • In-App Tabs: Seamless multi-tasking across embedded protocols.
  • Borderless Fullscreen (F11): Auto-hiding floating top bar (just like native MSTSC / VMware) to minimize, restore, or disconnect.
  • Detached Windows: Pop out any tab into an independent window with one click, and dock it back whenever you want.
  • External Launcher: Direct launch into native mstsc.exe with dynamically injected isolated credentials and automatic teardown.
• In-App GitHub Release Updates: Automatic startup version checks, real-time right-aligned footer status, interactive updates center in About, and 1-click installer upgrades with SHA-256 checksum verification.
• System Theme by Default: Natively adapts to your Windows light or dark mode in real time.

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🌐 Supported Protocols

Protocol	Engine	Capabilities
RDP	Native ActiveX (AxMsRdpClient) + Isolated Launcher	Full credentials injection, SmartSizing, audio redirection, clipboard sharing, multi-monitor, active disconnect detection (session takeover notice & 1-click reconnect)
SSH	Windows Terminal (wt.exe) / OpenSSH	Automatic terminal console launch with sanitized user and port parameters
VNC	Built-in RFB Viewer + External Viewer Bridge	Embedded tabbed viewer or external bridge (UltraVNC, TightVNC, TigerVNC, RealVNC)
Web	Microsoft WebView2 (Chromium)	Isolated profile per connection — cookies, sessions, and storage never leak between accounts

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🔄 In-App Updates via GitHub Releases

RemoteManager includes built-in update lifecycle management connected directly to official GitHub Releases (vyntechau/RemoteManager):

• Real-Time Footer Status Indicator:
  • Positioned on the right of the status bar (e.g. v1.0.0 (Latest), v1.0.0 (Checking...), or v1.0.0 (Update v1.1.0 available)).
  • Interactive 1-click shortcut directly opens the About page.
• Automatic Startup Checks:
  • Background check runs quietly on application launch without blocking the UI.
• Dedicated Software Updates Center (in About View):
  • Dynamic assembly version detection.
  • Release notes and changelog viewer.
  • 1-Click Download & Install (.msi) with streaming progress bar, automatic SHA-256 checksum verification against checksums.txt, and automated installer execution.
  • Direct Download Portable ZIP and View on GitHub actions.
• Configurable Update Channel (in Settings View):
  • Toggle automatic checks on startup on or off.
  • Enable or disable pre-release (beta) channel updates.
  • Manual "Check Now" button with last-checked timestamp display.

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🔒 Security & Privacy Architecture

RemoteManager is built with a strict local-first, zero-trust mindset:

1. Windows DPAPI Encryption:
   • All passwords and sensitive tokens are encrypted using Windows Data Protection API (System.Security.Cryptography.ProtectedData).
   • The cryptographic key is tied directly to your logged-in Windows user account (DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser) combined with internal cryptographic entropy.
   • Passwords are never written to disk in plain text.
   • Note: Because DPAPI derives its master key from your Windows profile, credentials are machine- and user-specific.
2. 100% Local Storage:
   • All connections and encrypted credentials reside in an embedded SQLite database:

     %LocalAppData%\RemoteManager\remotemanager.db
     

3. Isolated Web Profiles:
   • Each Web session tab runs in an independent Chromium UserDataFolder (%LocalAppData%\RemoteManager\WebProfiles\{ConnectionId}).
   • Logging into multiple accounts on cloud consoles (AWS, Azure, Proxmox, vCenter, routers) will never cross-pollinate cookies or sessions.
   • Profile cache directories are cleaned up automatically when connections are deleted.
4. Zero Telemetry & Cloud-Free:
   • No external API calls, no third-party accounts, and no data tracking.

🛡️ Vulnerability Reporting & Security Policy

For security matters and responsible disclosure, please refer to our Security Policy or reach out directly to:

📧 security@vyntech.com.au

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📚 Documentation Center

For comprehensive setup guides, architecture overviews, protocol configurations, and FAQs, visit our document center:

📖 VynTech Document Center

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🏛️ Project Architecture

RemoteManager/
├── .github/
│   └── workflows/
│       └── build-and-release.yml   # Automated CI/CD (Test, build EXE/MSI, create Releases)
│
├── packaging/
│   ├── Package.wxs                 # WiX Toolset v5 Windows Installer definition
│   └── license.rtf                 # License file bundled in MSI installer
│
├── src/
│   ├── RemoteManager.Core/         # Domain entities, enums, and service contracts
│   │   ├── Models/                 # ConnectionItem, Credential, AppSettings, ProtocolType, UpdateModels
│   │   ├── Interfaces/             # IDatabaseService, IEncryptionService, IProtocolSession, IUpdateService
│   │   └── Services/               # GitHubUpdateService (releases, downloads, SHA-256 verification)
│   │
│   ├── RemoteManager.Data/         # SQLite storage and DPAPI cryptographic services
│   │   ├── SqliteDatabaseService.cs
│   │   └── Security/DpapiEncryptionService.cs
│   │
│   ├── RemoteManager.Protocols/    # Multi-protocol session execution engines
│   │   ├── Rdp/                    # RdpAxClient (ActiveX), RdpHostControl, RdpIsolatedLauncher
│   │   ├── Ssh/                    # SshSessionHandler, SshClientDetector
│   │   ├── Vnc/                    # VncSessionHandler, VncHostControl, VncSharpCore engine
│   │   └── Web/                    # WebView2SessionControl (isolated profiles)
│   │
│   └── RemoteManager.App/          # WPF-UI Fluent Windows 11 presentation layer
│       ├── Views/                  # MainWindow, ConnectionsView, SettingsView, LogsView
│       └── ViewModels/             # MainViewModel, ConnectionsViewModel, LogsViewModel
│
├── tests/
│   └── RemoteManager.Tests/        # Automated unit and integration tests (xUnit)
│
├── Makefile                        # Cross-platform build & packaging automation
├── build.ps1                       # Native PowerShell packaging script (EXE & MSI)
└── dotnet-tools.json               # WiX Toolset v5 tool manifest

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🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Windows 10 (Build 19041+) or Windows 11
• .NET 8.0 SDK or higher

Option 1: Run via Command Line

# Clone the repository
git clone git@github.com:vyntechau/RemoteManager.git
cd RemoteManager

# Build and run
dotnet run --project src/RemoteManager.App

Option 2: Run the Compiled Binary

After building, double-click:

src\RemoteManager.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows\RemoteManager.App.exe

Run Automated Tests & Code Coverage

# Run all 190 unit & integration tests
dotnet test

# Run tests with code coverage analysis (using coverlet.runsettings)
dotnet test --collect:"XPlat Code Coverage" --settings coverlet.runsettings

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📦 Building & Packaging (EXE & MSI)

RemoteManager provides full build automation to produce both portable single-file executables and an MSI Windows Installer using WiX Toolset v5.

Release Artifacts

When built, release artifacts are generated into the artifacts/ folder:

• RemoteManager-v<version>-win-x64-portable.zip: Self-contained single-file bundle that runs instantly on Windows 10/11 without requiring .NET installation or administrator rights.
• RemoteManager-v<version>-win-x64-Setup.msi: Standard Windows Installer package:
  • Installs to C:\Program Files\Vyntech\Remote Manager\
  • Creates Start Menu & Desktop shortcuts with the Vyntech application icon
  • Full integration with Windows Installed apps / Add or remove programs (ARP)
  • Supports silent enterprise rollout:

    msiexec /i RemoteManager-v1.0.0-win-x64-Setup.msi /qn

• checksums.txt: SHA-256 integrity verification hashes for all built assets.

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Option 1: Using make

Standard cross-environment build commands:

# Display help and all available targets
make help

# Run all 190 unit tests
make test

# Publish self-contained portable EXE and create portable ZIP
make exe

# Build Windows Installer (.msi) using WiX v5
make msi

# Full pipeline: clean, test, build portable ZIP, build MSI, and generate SHA-256 checksums
make all

# Clean build artifacts, temporary obj/bin directories, and WiX cache
make clean

Option 2: Using PowerShell

Native Windows automation script:

# Build everything (Tests, Portable ZIP, MSI installer, and SHA-256 checksums)
.\build.ps1 -Target All -Version 1.0.0

# Build single-file portable EXE & ZIP only
.\build.ps1 -Target Exe

# Build Windows Installer MSI only (auto-generates version from git tag or parameter)
.\build.ps1 -Target Msi -Version 1.0.0

# Run automated unit test suite
.\build.ps1 -Target Test

# Clean build artifacts and staging files
.\build.ps1 -Target Clean

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🧪 Testing & Code Quality Architecture

RemoteManager enforces enterprise-grade engineering standards with an exhaustive automated test suite. The project features 190 unit and integration tests reaching 100.00% line coverage across every domain assembly:

========================================================
 RemoteManager Test Coverage Summary
========================================================
Overall Line Coverage   : 100.00% (2,463 / 2,463 lines)
Overall Branch Coverage : 88.12%  (653 / 741 branches)
========================================================

Assembly	Line Coverage	Branches	Test Scope & Core Focus
RemoteManager.App	100.00%	89.84%	Full MVVM ViewModel lifecycles (MainViewModel, ConnectionsViewModel, LogsViewModel, SessionTabViewModel), tab hosting, UI commands, ping batching, dispatcher safety
RemoteManager.Core	100.00%	94.36%	Connection validation, protocol rules, settings configuration, high-throughput asynchronous LogEngine channel reader/writer
RemoteManager.Data	100.00%	92.30%	SQLite storage operations, table creation, schema migrations, and Windows DPAPI cryptographic security services
RemoteManager.Protocols	100.00%	79.08%	SSH client auto-detection (OpenSSH, PuTTY, KiTTY), VNC client resolution, argument masking, and session launching
Total Solution	100.00%	88.12%	Complete coverage across all 2,463 executable lines

Architecture & Test Isolation Principles

• COM & ActiveX Abstraction: High-level interface contracts (IRdpHostControl, IVncHostControl, IWebViewSessionControl) allow testing tab session lifecycles, sizing, and reconnection flows without hardware-dependent COM registrations.
• Process Launcher Isolation: External system processes (mstsc.exe, explorer.exe, SSH consoles, custom VNC viewers) are abstracted behind mockable launch delegates to prevent headless CI deadlocks while verifying exact argument strings.
• Cryptographic Independence: Windows DPAPI encryption services run against isolated memory scopes and temporary SQLite databases, ensuring zero cross-test interference or persistent credential footprint.
• Thread-Safe Dispatching: Dispatcher calls are guarded with safe-dispatch fallbacks (SafeDispatch), ensuring unit tests run reliably in both headless non-WPF test runners and interactive UI environments.

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🤖 Continuous Integration & Automated Releases (GitHub Actions)

An automated production CI/CD workflow is included in .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml, running on Node.js 24 with a visual modular DAG dependency diagram and strict job timeouts:

                  ┌──> Job 2: Build Portable ZIP (win-x64) ──┐
Job 1: Run Tests ─┤                                          ├──> Job 4: Bundle & Checksums ──> Job 5: Publish Release (Tags)
                  └──> Job 3: Build MSI Installer (WiX v5) ──┘

• Job 1: test (Unit & Integration Tests):
  • Executes all 190 automated unit tests (dotnet test) with a 15-minute strict timeout to deliver fast feedback on PRs and pushes.
• Job 2: build-portable (Portable ZIP):
  • Runs in parallel after test succeeds; publishes the self-contained single-file win-x64 binary and portable ZIP.
• Job 3: build-installer (WiX v5 MSI):
  • Runs in parallel after test succeeds; compiles the native WiX Toolset v5 Windows Installer (.msi).
• Job 4: package (Bundle & Checksums):
  • Merges build artifacts, computes SHA-256 verification hashes, and uploads the distribution bundle.
• Job 5: release (Publish GitHub Release):
  • Triggers on version tags (v*) or manual workflow_dispatch release; attaches the release packages and auto-generates release notes.

🤝 Contributing & Community

Contributions are warmly welcome! Please see our Contributing Guide for details on setting up your environment, coding conventions, and submitting pull requests. All participants are expected to adhere to our Code of Conduct.

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🌌 VynTech Ecosystem

RemoteManager is an open-source project by VynTech.

VynTech focuses on crafting high-performance, secure, and developer-first tools for cloud engineering, systems administration, and automated infrastructure environments.

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📄 License & Attributions

• RemoteManager is licensed under the MIT License — free for personal and commercial use.
• Third-party open-source libraries and notices are documented in THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md.