Built for engineering teams who take security seriously.
Every agent generates an ED25519 keypair at install time. Registration with the rendezvous server requires a valid signature. No shared passwords. No centrally managed credentials to rotate.
ED25519 Identity Generation
Each agent identity is derived from a local keypair generated at install time. The public key becomes the permanent agent identity. Reinstalling the agent creates a new cryptographic identity instead of reusing shared credentials.
Signed Registration
Agent registration requires a valid ED25519 signature over a timestamp and nonce. The rendezvous server rejects replayed registration payloads inside the LRU + TTL replay window.
Heartbeat Tracking
Agents send signed heartbeats to the rendezvous server. Online state updates in real time, while stale agents fall offline after the heartbeat TTL window expires.
Pairing Key Workflow
New agents generate a human-readable pairing key. Operators redeem it in the dashboard to bind the agent to their team, and the key expires after first use.
The transport model treats relay nodes as untrusted infrastructure. Encryption is negotiated between the session endpoints, and every relay packet remains ciphertext.
X25519 Key Exchange
Every session negotiates fresh X25519 material between the operator side and the agent side. Session keys are ephemeral and are not stored after disconnect.
AES-256-GCM Sessions
Terminal data, command output, file transfer, and future session streams are encrypted with AES-256-GCM before they touch the relay path.
HKDF Key Derivation
Both ends derive session keys with SHA-256 HKDF and the explicit label tucdesk-session-v1. Protocol mismatch fails closed before payload processing.
Relay Fallback
When direct connection fails, the relay provides UDP/TCP fallback transport. It forwards ciphertext only and cannot distinguish readable session content.
Agent tagging
Group agents by environment, owner, role, or risk class. Tags drive fleet runs and policy targeting.
Command details →Fleet run
Execute approved commands across many agents in parallel and inspect per-agent output, duration, and error state.
Command details →ACL policy
Allow or deny access by agent, team, tag, and time window. Policy evaluation is team-scoped and audit-visible.
Command details →Session recording
Capture terminal sessions in asciinema-compatible format with signed audit context and tenant-prefixed storage paths.
Command details →Desktop access (RDP/VNC)
Connect to Windows and Linux desktops via RDP and VNC through the same zero-trust channel. No VPN, no port-forwarding.
Command details →LAN discovery
mDNS broadcast lets agents discover each other on the same network for sub-millisecond local connections without touching the relay.
Command details →Anomaly detection
Behavioural analysis flags unusual session patterns, access timing anomalies, and command-frequency outliers before they become incidents.
Command details →Command approval gate
High-risk operations stop for human confirmation before execution. The decision and actor are written to audit.
Command details →Address book
Curate known endpoints, ownership notes, favorites, use counts, and operational context for repeated access.
Command details →TucDesk reaches machines beyond the SSH shell. RDP and VNC sessions use the same zero-trust channel. LAN-local agents connect at sub-millisecond latency. Workload identity extends the model to CI/CD and service accounts.
Desktop Protocol (RDP/VNC)
Access Windows RDP and Linux VNC desktops through the TucDesk zero-trust channel. Guacamole protocol translation handles screen encoding — operators see a browser-native desktop session with the same audit trail as a terminal session.
LAN / mDNS Discovery
When operator and agent are on the same network, mDNS broadcast provides direct LAN-path connectivity. Session latency drops below 1ms. The relay is bypassed entirely. Ideal for on-premise environments and air-gapped segments.
WebAuthn / Hardware Keys
Operators can authenticate with FIDO2 hardware security keys (YubiKey, Passkeys) for high-assurance access to critical agents. Hardware key sessions bypass password fatigue while satisfying compliance requirements for privileged access.
TucDesk exposes a controlled MCP surface for AI operators. Tools can inspect state and request execution, but approval gates, ACL evaluation, and audit logging remain in the data path.
list_agents
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
get_agent
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
connect_session
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
run_command
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
list_sessions
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
get_audit_log
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
list_fleet_runs
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
get_recording
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
list_address_book
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
get_security_posture
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
manage_acl
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
pair_agent
Team-scoped MCP tool with request validation, permission checks, and immutable audit output for operator review.
| Control | How it works |
|---|---|
| Open mode | Permits normal access while still recording actor, target, and session metadata. |
| Allowlist mode | Only explicitly allowed agents, tags, teams, or windows can be reached. |
| Blocklist mode | Blocks specified high-risk targets while allowing routine workflows. |
| Time windows | Restrict access to maintenance windows or approved incident response periods. |
Every feature ships on day one. Free up to 3 agents.
No feature flags behind paywalls. Fleet commands, audit recordings, mobile approvals, and AI MCP tools are available on every plan tier.
SOC 2 Type I in progress (Q3 2026) · ED25519 · AES-256-GCM · Open protocol