🛠️ When Remote Access Becomes a Ransom Risk: Ransomware, RMMs & What SMEs Must Know

How Attackers Are Hijacking Legitimate Tools—And What You Can Do to Stop Them

Aug 13, 2025

Ransomware is no longer just a file-encrypting nuisance.
It’s now:

A full-blown business interruption weapon
A strategic supply chain attack method
A threat increasingly powered by tools you probably trust

At the centre of this evolution?
RMM tools—Remote Monitoring & Management platforms used for IT support, updates, and visibility.

The very software built to help small businesses stay connected…
…is now being exploited by ransomware groups like LockBit 3.0, Medusa, and BlackBasta.

Let’s break down what’s really happening—and how to defend yourself, without panic or enterprise-grade complexity.

💻 What Are RMM Tools—and Why Are They Risky Now?

RMMs are used by:

IT providers (MSPs)
Internal IT staff
Freelance tech consultants
Even accounting or software firms offering remote help

Popular platforms include:

ConnectWise
AnyDesk
TeamViewer
Atera
ScreenConnect
LogMeIn

When used properly, they’re essential.
In the wrong hands? They’re a skeleton key to everything—including servers, backups, and client devices.

🔐 What’s Changed: From Malware to Misuse

Attackers aren’t always building hacking tools anymore.
They’re hijacking yours.

“The threat isn’t always malware—it might be the tools you already trust, used against you.”

According to CISA and Cyware, ransomware actors are abusing legitimate RMM tools to:

Move laterally across networks
Disable antivirus silently
Deliver malware without triggering alerts
Launch attacks from inside trusted devices

📌 Notable examples:

LockBit 3.0 used RMM tools to target schools and law firms
Medusa exploited ConnectWise in public-facing setups
Huntress reported rogue AnyDesk installs sitting undetected for weeks

Because RMMs are designed to bypass firewalls and run quietly in the background, they’re hard to detect once compromised.

🧭 Who’s at Risk?

SMEs who rely on outsourced IT or freelance tech help
Any business using unattended access or “always-on” remote tools
Organisations running legacy or unpatched RMM software
Franchises with centralised remote support
Home-based setups with “set-and-forget” installs

If any of that sounds familiar—it’s time to check your systems.

🛡️ 5 Things You Can Do to Lock Down Remote Access

You don’t need to uninstall everything.
But you do need to apply good RMM hygiene—just like you would with passwords or firewalls.

✅ 1. Know What’s Installed

Run an app inventory on all business devices
Look for: AnyDesk, Splashtop, TeamViewer, LogMeIn
Don’t forget browser extensions
Flag anything you didn’t install (or forgot)

✅ 2. Review Who Has Access

Limit access to verified vendors only
Disable unattended access where possible
Require approval for new connections
Delete unused accounts and past sessions

✅ 3. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

This is non-negotiable
Make sure MFA is on for your RMMs
Confirm your IT provider uses MFA too
Ditch tools that don’t support MFA natively

✅ 4. Watch for Shadow IT

Staff sometimes install RMM tools themselves to “solve problems”
Ban unsanctioned RMMs on work devices
Communicate what’s allowed (and why)
Monitor for sudden RMM installs across your fleet

✅ 5. Add RMM Abuse to Your Business Continuity Plan

If your RMM is hijacked, what’s your backup?
Can you still access offsite backups?
Who do you contact if access is abused?
Do you know how to kill a session remotely?

A single plan is worth more than 50 perfect tools.

💬 Real-World Case: The Platform That Turned on Its Owner

A small accounting firm in the Midlands lost access to every system for 72 hours after an old IT provider’s ScreenConnect login was hijacked.

There was no malware. No ransomware note.

Just a rogue login from a trusted system—and a silent script execution.

Backups were local—and encrypted.
Emails were online—but MFA was never turned on.

The result?
£9,800 lost in revenue, plus reputation damage, client complaints, and days of emergency IT intervention.

🧰 TL;DR — Your RMM Safety Plan

✅ Audit your remote access tools
✅ Limit who can connect—and when
✅ Turn on MFA (always)
✅ Watch for unapproved installs
✅ Build a continuity plan in case access is lost or misused

🎯 Final Thought: The Tools You Trust Deserve Scrutiny Too

Cybersecurity isn’t just about “keeping bad things out.”
It’s about knowing what’s already inside—and who has the keys.

RMM tools are powerful.
But they only work for you when you control them.

Good cybersecurity doesn’t block everything.
It builds trust, sets limits, and shines light into the quiet corners of your tech stack.

📥 Want a Simple Way to Audit Your Remote Access?

🔐 Download the RMM Security Mini-Audit Checklist → (Available to subscribers)
Or
📞 Book a 20-minute Clarity Session to review your setup together.

Heather Roache
Founder, The Cyber Compass
Navigate the Digital World with Confidence