Standard ICA Encryption Levels (XenDesktop)

Question

Trying to determine if there is a default ICA posture for encryption, out of the box so to speak.

With XenDesktop in mind, I have always thought that the encryption level is defined at the application layer and would select "Secure ICA" at a pool to enable. When not enabled it would just use standard ICA connectivity and what ever security layer it may bring along with it. I heard among peers and some vauge reference to a very basic default encryption of ICA but have not been able to find any real evidence of this.

Below is a statement from Citrix eDocs, to me, it indicates that there is by default NO encryptin at all.

Configure the Citrix User policy SecureICA minimum encryption level setting with one of the following options:

• Basic. Encrypts the client connection using a non-RC5 algorithm. It protects the data stream from being read directly, but it can be
  decrypted.
• RC5 (128 bit) logon only. Encrypts the logon data with RC5 128-bit encryption and the client connection using Basic encryption.
• RC5 (40 bit). Encrypts the client connection with RC5 40-bit encryption.
• RC5 (56 bit). Encrypts the client connection with RC5 56-bit encryption.
• RC5 (128 bit). Encrypts the client connection with RC5 128-bit encryption.

Is anyone able to confirm one way or the other and have any reference point?

Thanks,

jezr

Answer 1

I was able to work out a way to do this.

For anyone else wanting empirical evidence of a level of encryption for ICA, I was able to see the encryption level set as basic by using the "Connection Centre" of the Receiver and selecting properties on the session.