Is your asset inventory your cybersecurity Achilles' heel?

It’s 3:30 a.m., you get a call from your MSSP, the voice on the other end of the line informs you: “We are seeing suspicious activity from a host named DeltaCharlie01, it looks like someone may be misusing admin credentials”.

Is this a critical server? You go to check the inventory for critical servers, only to realize that the project has been postponed to the next quarter. This scenario occurs more frequently than one might expect.

A well-maintained asset inventory is more than a list—it’s your front line in cyber crisis preparedness. Without clarity on what you’re protecting, detection and response efforts lack context and precision.

Yet, far too often, organizations neglect key components, particularly Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools like AnyDesk or SimpleHelp. These platforms, along with EDR tools such as CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, CarbonBlack, and others that have privileged access and network reach, can become launchpads for devastating intrusions if not properly tracked and secured.

Why asset inventory is critical to detection & response

1. Contextual triage
   When alerts emerge, knowing which asset is involved—and how it supports the business—lets you triage intelligently. A server used for public web content poses less immediate risk than one hosting customer data.

2. Risk-based prioritization
   Responses should scale to what’s at stake. Alerts involving high-impact systems, such as financial databases or RMM endpoints, warrant expedited escalation and dedicated forensic attention.

3. Root cause targeting

   A detailed inventory helps identify access chains. If a detection leads to an RMM tool, knowing its privileges, vendor origins, and trust relationships enables swift containment.

4. Regulatory compliance

   Many frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS) demand asset management and criticality mapping. Gaps here leave you exposed to both cyber threats and audit failures.

Include RMM & privileged tooling in your "crown jewels"

When building your critical asset registry, don’t limit yourself to databases and domain controllers. Incorporate systems that offer indirect control, such as:

• RMM tools and jump hosts: AnyDesk, SimpleHelp, TeamViewer, Splashtop, Kaseya VSA.

• Privileged user accounts: MSP admin users, domain, and service accounts.

• Service credentials embedded in automation pipelines.

• These tools often escape scrutiny—yet compromising them can weaponize trust and enable silent compromise of far more critical assets.

Real-world examples from the past year

1. SimpleHelp RMM exploited by ransomware gangs (since Jan 2025) CISA warned that attackers have exploited multiple vulnerabilities (CVE-2024-57727, 57726, 57728) in SimpleHelp RMM.

   Unpatched instances, especially those exposed via MSPs, were used to deploy ransomware and perform double-extortion campaigns against downstream clients (Help Net Security, Industrial Cyber, Wikipedia).In one case, DragonForce ransomware piggybacked on an MSP’s SimpleHelp deployment, pushing payloads into client environments (Help Net Security).

2. AnyDesk certificate compromise (February 2024)

   AnyDesk, widely used by IT teams, confirmed that its production environment had been breached. Attackers stole code-signing certificates, prompting the company to revoke and reissue all certificates (Cybereason). Although no direct malware spread has been reported, the compromise of trust artifacts highlights the dangerof a single pivoting incident.

3. LockBit 3.0 using AnyDesk & Splashtop (ongoing)

   LockBit ransomware affiliates routinely leverage legitimate RMM tools like AnyDesk and Splashtop during post-compromise activities—often instead of malware—to fly under defense radar (CISA).

4. 70% surge in RMM-enabled intrusions

   CrowdStrike OverWatch reported a staggering 70% year-over-year increase in incidents leveraging RMM tools from 2023 to 2024, accounting for 27% of intrusion activity (Enzoic).

Practical recommendations

• Inventory & classification

• Discover all RMM deployments

• Query network endpoints for known RMM services.

• Maintain an asset register detailing vendor, version, network exposure, owner, and supported clients.

• Map privilege and access chains

• Assign criticality ratings based on what each RMM manages. Tier assets from low risk (public kiosks) up to Tier 0 (domain admins, network core).

• Track privileged accounts

• Include RMM service accounts, automation credentials, and MSP-overridden permissions. Ensure you know which assets they access and when.

Hardening & patching

• Update actively

  Apply RMM updates promptly. For example, SimpleHelp versions ≤5.5.7 should be upgraded per CISA guidance (CISA, Industrial Cyber, darktrace.com).

• Isolate externally accessible RMM

  Place them behind VPNs or zero-trust gateways. Restrict access to authorized IP spaces and guard with MFA.

• Monitor certificate & code integrity

  Track changes to code-signing certificates (e.g. AnyDesk) and monitorCI/CD pipelines for unexpected modifications.

• Logging & detection

  Apply behavioral monitoring

  Move beyond process allowlisting. Use abnormal usage detection—e.g., AnyDesk executing outside maintenance windows (darktrace.com, threatlocker.com).

• Enforce network constraints

  Only allow RMM traffic to known targets; block access to sensitive systems unless explicitly permitted.

• Audit jump host activity

  Treat RMM sessions like privileged sessions. Log keystrokes, files, and commands executed remotely.

• Hunt RMM abuse patterns

  Build threat hunts targeting:

  • Sudden elevation of RMM sessions.

  • Lateral move attempts with RMM tools.

  • Unexpected anomalous network use (e.g. RMM connects to servers it never used before).

Containment & recovery

• Incident playbooks for tool compromise

  If an RMM tool is breached:

1. Revoke certificates/refresh keys.

2. Reset service user credentials.

3. Re-image affected servers.

4. Reinstall RMM with hardened config.

• Immutable backups

  Maintain backups isolated from RMM-managed environments. Reddit MSP advice emphasizes:“Backup everything, offsite, in a way that the RMM tool cannot lead to it being compromised. Look into Immutable Backups.” (couriermail.com.au, The Hacker News, Reddit)

• Drill disaster recovery scenarios

  Simulate loss of RMM tools: how to rebuild, pivot, and restore business-critical flows without them.

Sample categorization framework

Here’s how to integrate RMM into your asset inventory:

Asset Type Criticality Access Scope Owner

Domain Controller #1 Server Tier 0 AD, DNS, Group Policy AD Team

Finance DB Server Data System Tier 1 Confidential Data Finance Team

Simple Help RMM – PROD RMM Tool Tier 0 20+ Client Env, admin creds IT Ops / MSP

AnyDesk – Support VM RMM Tool Tier 1 Helpdesk support, user PCs Helpdesk Team

Jump Host – VPN access Bastion Host Tier 0 Network-wide tunnel access Network OPS

Conclusion: Don’t let hidden assets be your downfall

Asset inventories often emphasize databases and servers—but RMM tools and privileged accounts quietly erode your security from within. These shadow access points, if compromised, create stealthy pathways into your most valuable assets.

A mature security posture hinges on three pillars:

1. Comprehensive visibility – Know every tool, credential, and connection.

2. Contextual risk mapping – Understand how each asset aligns with business impact.

3. Proactive controls – Harden, monitor, and test continuously.

Start by auditing your environment for RMM deployments. Prioritize them, shield them, and include them in your threat detection fabric. Build response playbooks that assume compromise and validate them on a regularbasis.

Only then will your detection and response truly be mature: focused on what matters, informed by context, and resilient against adversaries. After all, knowing what you’re safeguarding is the first step to defending it.

• reuters.com

• itpro.com

itpro.com