Suspicious AnyDesk Remote Access Tool Executed from ProgramData

PremiumReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-09-29
Updated
2026-09-29

ATT&CK techniques

C2
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. Exfiltration

  13. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the AnyDesk remote access tool running from the C:\ProgramData directory, a deployment pattern used by threat actors targeting educational organizations to establish covert remote control as SYSTEM. Placing AnyDesk in ProgramData rather than its standard install path evades user notice. Unmanaged AnyDesk in this location indicates likely unauthorized remote access.

Related detections9 linkedT1219 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Velociraptor DFIR Agent Spawning Encoded PowerShell
Suspicious RMM Installer Executed from AppData Roaming Installer Directory
Malicious Cloudflared Tunnel Execution via Cloudflared
Suspicious RMM Tool Execution from Windows Temp Directory
Silent AnyDesk Remote Access Tool Installation
Suspicious Quick Assist Remote Tool Launched by Explorer via Nimbus RAT Lure
Suspicious NetSupport client32 Execution from User Writable Path
Malicious NetSupport Client Executed from Masqueraded VMware ProgramData Path
Malicious ScreenConnect Client Installation via Msiexec (via process_creation)
Suspicious AnyDesk Remote Access Tool Executed from ProgramData
Pivot detection · T1219 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.