- What AnyDesk is and who makes it
- Why scammers keep asking people to install AnyDesk
- What banks and agencies have said about AnyDesk
- When it's reasonable to use AnyDesk
- Red flags that mean you should refuse access
- What to do if you let someone connect
- Using AnyDesk more safely
- My verdict on AnyDesk
- Frequently asked questions
AnyDesk is a real remote desktop program from AnyDesk Software GmbH, founded in 2014 in Stuttgart, Germany. The software itself is legitimate, but it's often used in tech support and other remote access scams, so the danger is who you let connect, not the app. Never grant access to a caller you didn't contact.
Most people asking whether AnyDesk is safe have either been told to install it by someone on the phone, or have found it on their computer and don't remember adding it. In both cases the honest answer has two halves: the tool is real, and it's also one of the favourite tools of scammers. Let me explain how to tell the difference.
What AnyDesk is and who makes it
According to Wikipedia, AnyDesk Software GmbH was founded in 2014 in Stuttgart, Germany. It makes remote desktop software, which lets one person see and control another computer over the internet. IT teams use that to fix problems from a distance, and it's useful for helping a relative who's stuck.
Wikipedia says the software uses TLS 1.2 and AES-256 encryption. I couldn't load AnyDesk's own security pages from here, so I can't quote the company's claims directly. What I can say is that the technology isn't the main safety issue. A strongly encrypted connection to the wrong person is still a connection to the wrong person.
Why scammers keep asking people to install AnyDesk
Wikipedia notes that AnyDesk is often used in technical support scams and other remote access scams. The Federal Trade Commission describes the pattern: scammers often pose as technicians, ask for remote access to your computer and pretend to scan it for viruses. Once they have control, they can steer you to fake banking pages or watch what you type.
This isn't a flaw unique to AnyDesk. Any remote desktop tool can be misused in this way, which is why banks and regulators have issued warnings about them rather than about one company's code.
What banks and agencies have said about AnyDesk
Wikipedia records several public warnings. The Reserve Bank of India warned about mobile access fraud involving AnyDesk in 2019, and the State Bank of India warned customers against installing it in 2021. It also records a 2022 FBI advisory that linked AnyDesk to AvosLocker ransomware operations.
Those warnings concern criminals using the software, not the company itself being accused of wrongdoing. But they tell you something practical: financial institutions treat an unexpected remote access session as an emergency, and you should too.
| What I checked | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Company | AnyDesk Software GmbH, founded in 2014 in Stuttgart, per Wikipedia |
| Encryption | TLS 1.2 and AES-256, per Wikipedia |
| Scam use | Often used in tech support and remote access scams |
| Public warnings | Reserve Bank of India in 2019, State Bank of India in 2021 |
| Law enforcement | FBI advisory in 2022 linking it to AvosLocker ransomware operations |
| Official security page | Couldn't be loaded, so no company claims quoted |
When it's reasonable to use AnyDesk
There are plenty of sensible uses. You might open a session with your own IT contractor, connect to your office computer from home or help a family member whose laptop has frozen. The test is simple: did you start the contact, and do you know exactly who's on the other end?
- You contacted the person or company yourself, using details you found independently.
- You know the person and can confirm it's them by a separate call.
- They aren't rushing you or asking you to keep it secret.
- You watch the screen throughout and end the session yourself when you're done.
If you're a business owner giving access to contractors, my checklist of tips to stop hackers touching your business website covers access habits that apply here too.
Red flags that mean you should refuse access
The FTC says scammers often insist that you pay with gift cards, a wire transfer, a bank transfer, cryptocurrency or a payment app, and that once you pay it's hard to get your money back. It also says real security pop-up warnings and messages will never ask you to call a phone number.
- An unexpected call, text or pop-up saying your computer is infected.
- A caller claiming to be your bank, a delivery firm or a software company and asking for a code from your screen.
- Any request to pay for 'fixes' with gift cards or crypto.
- Being told to log into online banking while they're connected.
- Pressure to act now or to stay on the phone.
What to do if you let someone connect
Act fast. Disconnect from the internet, close AnyDesk and uninstall it. Change your passwords from a different, trusted device, starting with email and banking, and anywhere you reused the same password. The FTC advises changing a password right away if you gave a scammer your login details.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Contact your bank using the number on your card, and check your statements for charges you don't recognise. Report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov if you're in the US. If you want to confirm whether accounts have been affected, my guide to checking if your Facebook account was hacked lists warning signs that apply to other accounts as well.
Using AnyDesk more safely
If you do keep AnyDesk, a few habits cut the risk. Download it only from the official website, since fake download pages are common for popular tools. Don't leave it running with unattended access if you don't need it, use a strong, unique password and keep it updated.
A password manager makes unique passwords painless. My review of a password manager shows what that looks like day to day.
My verdict on AnyDesk
The software is real, made by a company with a public history, so it isn't a scam. But it's a powerful tool in the wrong hands, and the warnings from banks and the FBI are real. Only ever let people you contacted and trust connect, never in response to a call or pop-up, and end the session the moment the job is done.
Frequently asked questions
Is AnyDesk a legitimate program?
Yes. According to Wikipedia, AnyDesk Software GmbH was founded in 2014 in Stuttgart, Germany. It's remote desktop software that's also often misused in scams.
Why do scammers use AnyDesk?
Wikipedia says it's often used in technical support and other remote access scams. The FTC says scammers pose as technicians and ask for remote access to pretend to scan your computer.
Is AnyDesk encrypted?
Wikipedia says the software uses TLS 1.2 and AES-256 encryption. Encryption doesn't help if you connect to a scammer.
What should I do if I gave a scammer access?
Disconnect, uninstall the software, change passwords from a trusted device, contact your bank and report it. The FTC takes reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Should I install AnyDesk because someone told me to?
No. Refuse unexpected requests to install remote access software, especially from callers or pop-ups, and check their identity using details you find yourself.
