Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a system for viewing and controlling another computer’s graphical desktop remotely. It uses the Remote Framebuffer (RFB) protocol: the remote computer sends screen updates to a viewer, and the viewer sends back keyboard, mouse, or touch input.
What does VNC mean?
VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing. It is a remote-access system that lets someone interact with a computer’s graphical interface from another device. The protocol used by VNC is called Remote Framebuffer (RFB); the two names are related, but they are not interchangeable.
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The IETF’s RFC 6143 describes RFB as a protocol for remote access to graphical user interfaces. It was published in March 2011 as an Informational RFC, not an Internet Standards Track specification. Read RFC 6143.
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A VNC session connects two roles: a server on the computer being accessed and a viewer, also called a client, on the device used to control it. In a typical implementation, the server captures the remote desktop and sends display updates to the viewer. The viewer returns user input, which the server applies on the remote computer.
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- The server captures the desktop. It provides the framebuffer updates that reflect what is shown on the remote computer.
- The viewer displays those updates. The person connecting sees the remote computer’s graphical interface.
- The viewer sends input back. Keyboard, mouse, or touch actions are transmitted to the server for the remote computer to carry out.
That back-and-forth lets a user operate the remote computer rather than merely watch its screen. The precise features and connection behavior depend on the VNC software in use. RealVNC explains its implementation.
Why is RFB useful across systems?
RFB works at the framebuffer level: it conveys screen changes and user input rather than requiring the remote applications to be written for one particular viewer. RFC 6143 gives X11, Windows, and Macintosh as examples of windowing systems. The foundational VNC paper likewise describes applicability across operating systems and applications. Read the VNC technical paper.
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This broad design helps explain VNC’s cross-platform character, but it does not guarantee that every server and viewer combination will be compatible. Compatibility depends on the specific software and configuration.
Does VNC automatically encrypt a connection?
No single security guarantee applies to every VNC program. RFB defines a protocol for remote framebuffer access; speaking RFB does not, by itself, establish a connection’s encryption, authentication strength, update practices, or whether it is safe to expose over a network.
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Vendors may add their own transport security and account controls. For example, RealVNC documents end-to-end encryption for VNC Connect and recommends protections including account two-step verification and restricting access to trusted invitees. Those claims are specific to RealVNC’s product and guidance, not a guarantee for all VNC software. See RealVNC’s security and privacy information and its maximum-security setup guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where did VNC originate?
RealVNC dates VNC’s creation to Cambridge in the late 1990s. This is the company’s account of VNC’s history. RealVNC’s overview of VNC provides that background.
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