Sold by: Madarson IT
Deployed on AWS
AWS Free Tier
This product has charges associated with it for security hardening, RDP pre-configuration, and GUI access. Madarson IT hardened Ubuntu 26.04 LTS cloud desktop with pre-configured Xfce and RDP access. Deploy a compliance-aligned graphical workspace on EC2 without manual hardening.
Overview
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Madarson IT Hardened Image
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Ubuntu LTS Features
Overview
This is a repackaged software product with additional charges for security hardening, RDP pre-configuration, and GUI access.
Madarson IT Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Hardened Cloud Desktop delivers a security-hardened, graphical Linux workspace on AWS EC2 - ready to use via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) on port 3389. Instead of spending hours manually hardening a base Ubuntu image and configuring a desktop environment, you launch a single AMI and connect within minutes.
Who Is This For?
- Security administrators who need a graphical interface for compliance monitoring and incident response
- Compliance teams performing audit work in regulated environments (healthcare, finance, government)
- Developers who require a hardened cloud desktop for secure remote development
- Organizations replacing on-premises workstations with cloud-based secure desktops
Security Hardening Details
Every instance launches with foundational security hardening aligned to established industry frameworks including NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and HIPAA:
- SSH Hardening - Restricted ciphers, disabled root login, key-based authentication enforced
- Kernel Parameter Hardening - Sysctl parameters tuned to reduce attack surface
- Audit Logging - auditd configured for comprehensive system event monitoring
- File Integrity Monitoring - AIDE pre-installed and initialized to detect unauthorized changes
- PAM Configuration - Password policies and session controls enforced
- Access Controls - Least-privilege principles applied to user accounts and services
- Service Minimization - Unnecessary services disabled to reduce exposure
Desktop Environment
The lightweight Xfce desktop environment is pre-installed with:
- xrdp - RDP server listening on port 3389 for native Windows Remote Desktop client compatibility
- LightDM - Display manager for session handling
- Firefox Browser - Pre-installed for immediate web access
- Low Resource Footprint - Xfce provides a responsive GUI without heavy memory consumption
Getting Started
- Launch the AMI from AWS Marketplace on your preferred EC2 instance type
- Configure your security group to allow inbound TCP traffic on port 3389 (RDP) from your IP
- Retrieve your instance credentials via EC2 key pair or configured user data
- Connect using any RDP client (Windows Remote Desktop, Remmina, or Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac)
- Begin working in a fully hardened graphical environment
Why Choose Madarson IT Over DIY Hardening?
This AMI combines a full GUI desktop with a defined hardening baseline in a single launch - eliminating the multi-step manual process of installing a desktop environment, configuring xrdp, and then applying security controls individually.
- Single-launch deployment - No post-launch scripts or manual hardening steps required
- Validated before publishing - Every image is tested to confirm hardening controls and RDP functionality work together
- Regularly updated - Security patches incorporated on an ongoing basis
- Framework-aligned - Hardening maps to NIST CSF, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and HIPAA controls
About Madarson IT
Madarson IT specializes in security-hardened and customized cloud images published across AWS, GCP, and Azure Marketplaces. Every image is validated before publishing and regularly updated to incorporate the latest security patches.
Disclaimer
Canonical Ltd. owns the trademarks for Ubuntu and its associated branding. Madarson IT does not provide commercial licenses on any third-party product. This hardened image should be considered a starting point. Organizations may need to customize configurations based on their specific security requirements and risk profile.
Highlights
- Launch a fully hardened Ubuntu 26.04 LTS desktop on EC2 and connect via RDP in minutes - no manual security configuration required. The pre-configured Xfce environment with Firefox, LightDM, and xrdp delivers a lightweight graphical workspace that works immediately after instance boot, eliminating hours of setup compared to building from a base image.
- Pre-installed security tooling includes AIDE file integrity monitoring, auditd comprehensive logging, SSH hardening with restricted ciphers, kernel parameter tuning, PAM enforcement, and service minimization. Each control is validated before publishing to ensure hardening and desktop functionality operate together without conflicts.
- Hardening aligns with NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and HIPAA requirements - purpose-built for regulated industries including healthcare, finance, and government. Regularly updated with security patches so your compliance posture stays current without manual intervention.
Details
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Delivery method
Delivery option
64-bit (x86) Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
Latest version
Operating system
Ubuntu 26.04
Deployed on AWS
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Features and programs
Financing for AWS Marketplace purchases
AWS Marketplace now accepts line of credit payments through the PNC Vendor Finance program. This program is available to select AWS customers in the US, excluding NV, NC, ND, TN, & VT.
Pricing
Pricing is based on actual usage, with charges varying according to how much you consume. Subscriptions have no end date and may be canceled any time.
Additional AWS infrastructure costs may apply. Use the AWS Pricing Calculator to estimate your infrastructure costs.
If you are an AWS Free Tier customer with a free plan, you are eligible to subscribe to this offer. You can use free credits to cover the cost of eligible AWS infrastructure. See AWS Free Tier for more details. If you created an AWS account before July 15th, 2025, and qualify for the Legacy AWS Free Tier, Amazon EC2 charges for Micro instances are free for up to 750 hours per month. See Legacy AWS Free Tier for more details.
Dimension | Cost/hour |
|---|---|
m5a.large Recommended | $0.05 |
t3.micro | $0.05 |
t2.micro | $0.025 |
c3.2xlarge | $0.20 |
r8a.12xlarge | $1.20 |
g5.4xlarge | $0.40 |
i3.large | $0.05 |
t2.small | $0.025 |
c6a.4xlarge | $0.40 |
i2.8xlarge | $0.80 |
Dimensions summary
You pay by the hour for the software running on the AWS EC2 instance size you choose. Each dimension maps to a specific EC2 instance type, so pricing scales with the compute, memory, storage, or GPU capacity of that instance. Smaller general-purpose sizes like t3.nano bill at a lower rate, while memory-optimized (r-series), compute-optimized (c-series), storage-heavy (i-series, d-series), and GPU (g-series, p-series) instances bill higher. You select the size that fits your workload and run this hardened Ubuntu desktop image on it. AWS infrastructure charges apply separately.
Top-of-mind questions for buyers
The hourly rate covers the hardened Ubuntu desktop software license only. You pay it for each hour the instance runs, on top of the separate AWS charge for the EC2 instance itself. The two charges appear together but are metered independently.
Software charges meter running time. A fully stopped instance does not accrue the hourly software fee. Underlying AWS storage costs for the volume may still apply while the instance is stopped, but those are separate from this software license.
Each dimension ties to one EC2 instance type. Rates track that instance's resources. Memory-optimized (r-series), compute-optimized (c-series), storage-heavy (i-series, d-series), and GPU (g-series, p-series) instances carry higher rates. Smaller general-purpose sizes like t3.nano bill lower. You pick the size matching your workload.
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There is no refund policy for this image.
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Delivery details
64-bit (x86) Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
An AMI is a virtual image that provides the information required to launch an instance. Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) instances are virtual servers on which you can run your applications and workloads, offering varying combinations of CPU, memory, storage, and networking resources. You can launch as many instances from as many different AMIs as you need.
Version release notes
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Hardened Cloud Desktop with RDP. Xfce desktop with Firefox and foundational security hardening
Additional details
Usage instructions
Allow inbound SSH access in your security group (TCP port 22 and 3389) To connect to your instance using the Amazon EC2 console: Open the Amazon EC2 console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/ .
In the navigation pane, choose Instances.
Select the instance and choose Connect. Choose the EC2 Instance Connect tab. For Connection type, choose Connect using EC2 Instance Connect. Access the ec2 with the default username: "ubuntu" For RDP Access: Create a password for ubuntu user for RDP login using the CLI command: "sudo passwd ubuntu" Launch RDP client and enter the ubuntu credentials
Resources
Vendor resources
Support
Vendor support
Contact Support
For technical support, private offers, compliance documentation, or custom hardening requirements, contact Madarson IT at info@madarsonit.com .
Support Scope
Madarson IT provides support for issues related to the hardened image configuration, including:
- RDP connectivity and xrdp configuration
- Security hardening components (AIDE, auditd, SSH, PAM, kernel parameters)
- Desktop environment functionality (Xfce, LightDM, Firefox)
- Guidance on customizing hardening controls for your environment
- Compliance documentation requests
Getting Help
When contacting support, please include your EC2 instance ID, the issue description, and any relevant log output. For compliance documentation or custom hardening requirements, describe your regulatory framework and specific needs.
AWS infrastructure support
AWS Support is a one-on-one, fast-response support channel that is staffed 24x7x365 with experienced and technical support engineers. The service helps customers of all sizes and technical abilities to successfully utilize the products and features provided by Amazon Web Services.
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