Remote desktop software has become a critical tool for businesses, IT administrators, managed service providers (MSPs), and technical support engineers. While AnyDesk provides secure remote connectivity with encryption and authentication, every legitimate license holder should regularly review account activity and device associations to ensure their license is not being misused.

One situation that can cause concern is discovering an unknown Implicit Client, unfamiliar remote sessions, or unexpected devices appearing in the AnyDesk Management Portal. Such findings do not always indicate a security breach, but they should never be ignored.

This article provides a comprehensive security checklist and investigation process that every AnyDesk license owner should follow when suspicious activity is detected.

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Why Every AnyDesk License Holder Should Monitor Their Account

Most users only open the AnyDesk Management Portal when they need to manage licenses or users. However, regular monitoring is equally important for security.

You should periodically review:

• Implicit Clients
• Explicit Clients
• Session History
• Team Members
• Connected Devices
• Account Security Settings
• License Assignments

Regular monitoring helps identify unauthorized devices before they become a larger security concern.

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Warning Signs That Require Immediate Attention

Immediately investigate if you notice any of the following:

• Unknown Implicit Clients
• Unknown Explicit Clients
• Devices you do not recognize
• Unexpected remote connection popups
• Session history containing unfamiliar devices
• Clients continuously showing Online
• Unknown aliases or computer names
• Remote sessions you never initiated
• Unexpected Team Members
• Unusual login notifications

Any one of these may simply be a configuration issue, but multiple signs together deserve careful investigation.

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Step 1 – Stay Calm and Avoid Assumptions

The appearance of an unknown client does not automatically mean your account has been hacked.

Possible reasons include:

• Old authorized devices
• Previously deployed custom clients
• Historical license associations
• Configuration mistakes
• Shared administrator accounts
• Backend synchronization issues
• Genuine unauthorized access

Begin with evidence collection before drawing conclusions.

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Step 2 – Verify Your Own Client Identity

Confirm your legitimate AnyDesk Client ID.

Check:

• Device Alias
• Namespace
• Installed Version
• Client ID
• Computer Name

Record this information before starting your investigation.

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Step 3 – Review Implicit and Explicit Clients

Look for:

• Unknown computers
• Unknown names
• Devices that are always Online
• Devices recently added
• Duplicate computers
• Unexpected operating systems

Document everything with screenshots.

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Step 4 – Export Session History

Do not rely only on the dashboard.

Export your complete session history and review:

• Source Client
• Destination Client
• Session Duration
• Session Status
• Date & Time
• Country (if available)

This often provides much more information than the dashboard itself.

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Step 5 – Compare Session Activity

Identify:

• Sessions you performed
• Sessions performed by others
• Unknown destination IDs
• Long-duration sessions
• Repeated connections

Separate your own testing from unknown activity.

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Step 6 – Review Team Members

Open Team Management.

Verify:

• Owners
• Administrators
• Members
• Pending Invitations

Remove any account that is no longer required.

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Step 7 – Change Your Password Immediately

If anything appears suspicious:

• Change your AnyDesk account password.
• Use a completely new password.
• Never reuse passwords from other websites.

A strong password remains your first line of defense.

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Step 8 – Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Every licensed AnyDesk account should have 2FA enabled.

Benefits include:

• Protection against password theft
• Additional login verification
• Improved account security
• Reduced risk of unauthorized access

Always verify that 2FA works before considering the account secure.

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Step 9 – Reset Your License Key

If you believe another device may be using your license:

• Reset the license key.
• Reapply the new license only to trusted devices.
• Remove obsolete deployments.

This prevents clients using the old license key from automatically rejoining your license.

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Step 10 – Disable Unattended Access (Temporarily)

Until the investigation is complete:

• Disable Unattended Access.
• Remove stored unattended passwords.
• Require manual approval for all incoming sessions.

This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized remote control.

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Step 11 – Verify Local Installation

Check your own computer.

Verify:

• Installed AnyDesk versions
• Running processes
• Startup entries
• Windows Services
• Configuration files

Ensure there is only one legitimate installation.

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Step 12 – Review AnyDesk Logs

AnyDesk trace logs can reveal:

• Incoming connection requests
• Outgoing sessions
• Authentication attempts
• Connection failures
• Device fingerprints
• Session negotiations

Always preserve logs before reinstalling or making major changes.

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Step 13 – Compare Device Fingerprints

A stable device fingerprint usually indicates one genuine installation.

If the same fingerprint appears repeatedly across logs, it generally represents a single consistent client rather than randomly generated devices.

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Step 14 – Document Everything

Create a folder containing:

• Screenshots
• Session exports
• Trace logs
• Configuration details
• Dates and times
• Steps already performed

Good documentation dramatically improves vendor support investigations.

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Step 15 – Contact Vendor Support

If an unknown client continues to appear after:

• Password reset
• License reset
• 2FA activation
• Team cleanup
• Local verification

contact the vendor with complete evidence instead of repeatedly reinstalling the software.

Request investigation of:

• Account authentication
• Device association
• Backend licensing
• Session ownership
• Authentication tokens

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid:

• Assuming every unknown client is a hacker.
• Ignoring unfamiliar devices.
• Reusing passwords.
• Sharing unattended passwords.
• Leaving old team members active.
• Delaying 2FA activation.
• Resetting everything before collecting evidence.
• Deleting logs before analysis.

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Security Best Practices for Every AnyDesk User

• Enable 2FA immediately after creating your account.
• Review Implicit Clients regularly.
• Audit session history every month.
• Remove inactive devices.
• Remove unused Team Members.
• Keep AnyDesk updated.
• Use strong unique passwords.
• Disable Unattended Access when not needed.
• Export logs before troubleshooting.
• Review license assignments periodically.

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When Should You Escalate the Issue?

Escalate the issue to AnyDesk Support if:

• Unknown devices persist after security changes.
• Unknown sessions continue appearing.
• Clients remain associated after license reset.
• Devices you do not recognize stay online.
• You suspect backend licensing or account association issues.

Provide complete technical evidence to help the support team investigate efficiently.

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Final Thoughts

Unexpected devices or unfamiliar session history should never be ignored, but they also should not immediately be treated as proof of account compromise. A systematic approach—collecting evidence, verifying your own environment, securing your account, and documenting every step—helps distinguish between local configuration issues, historical device associations, and situations that require vendor intervention.

By regularly auditing your AnyDesk account, enabling two-factor authentication, protecting unattended access, and reviewing client associations, legitimate license holders can significantly reduce security risks while maintaining confidence in their remote support environment.

 

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