Brinztech Alert: Unauthorized Anydesk Access Sale is Detected for a Belgian Retail Company

Dark Web News Analysis

A threat actor on a known cybercrime forum is auctioning what they claim to be unauthorized AnyDesk access to the network of a Belgian retail company. According to the seller’s post, the access provides the highest level of privilege—domain administrator—and control over approximately 180 hosts within the company’s network. The sale is structured as a tiered auction, a common tactic for initial access brokers (IABs) looking to monetize their intrusions.

This claim, if true, represents a critical and imminent threat to the targeted organization. “Domain admin” access is the equivalent of the keys to the entire corporate kingdom. By leveraging a legitimate remote access tool like AnyDesk, an attacker’s activity can be difficult to distinguish from normal IT administration, allowing them to operate undetected. For a retail company, this level of access could be used to deploy ransomware across the entire enterprise or, more dangerously, to compromise in-store Point-of-Sale (POS) systems to steal customer credit card information.

Key Cybersecurity Insights

This alleged access sale presents a critical threat with several implications:

• ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ via Remote Access Tool: The claim of domain admin privileges means the attacker would have total control over the company’s network, including the ability to create accounts, access all data, and deploy malware. Using a legitimate tool like AnyDesk for this access is a popular tactic that helps attackers blend in with normal network traffic.
• Immediate Threat of Ransomware and POS Compromise: The most likely buyer of this access is a ransomware gang. With domain admin control, they could encrypt the retailer’s servers, databases, and workstations, crippling its operations. They could also push malware to in-store POS terminals, turning them into credit card skimmers.
• The Initial Access Broker (IAB) Economy: The auction format is a clear sign that the seller is an IAB. These criminals specialize in breaching networks and then selling the foothold to other groups who execute the final attack. This specialization in the cybercrime world makes it easier and faster for ransomware groups to hit their targets.

Mitigation Strategies

In response to a claim of this nature, the targeted company and other organizations must take decisive action:

• Assume Compromise and Audit All Remote Access: The company must operate under the assumption the claim is true and immediately audit all remote access software (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, RDP, etc.) on their network. All access logs should be reviewed for suspicious activity, and the software should be disabled on any device where it is not essential for business operations.
• Invalidate All Credentials and Enforce MFA: A claim of domain admin compromise requires an immediate, network-wide password reset for all user and service accounts. Critically, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) must be implemented and enforced on all remote access points and privileged accounts to prevent this type of credential-based takeover. ¹   How Hackers Misused AnyDesk for Scams: Tips for Secure Remote Access – Splashtop www.splashtop.com
• Activate Incident Response and Hunt for Persistence: The company must activate its incident response plan to hunt for the attacker’s presence. A threat actor with domain admin access would likely have created multiple backdoors. Network segmentation should also be reviewed to ensure a compromise of the corporate IT network cannot spread to critical in-store retail systems.

Secure Your Organization with Brinztech As a cybersecurity provider, we can protect your business from the threats discussed here. Contact us to learn more about our services.

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