AnyDesk
AnyDesk lets you access another computer remotely or let someone help you by viewing and controlling your Mac. It’s made by AnyDesk Software, based in Germany.
Criminals have used its name in fake downloads or scams, so get it only from anydesk.com.
What it is
People use AnyDesk for technical support and to access computers from another location. It can also transfer files between devices.
With your Mac’s permissions, a remote person can see your screen, control the mouse and keyboard, and access files for transfer. These permissions let them work on the Mac from elsewhere.
AnyDesk is a legitimate support tool. Only give access to someone you know and trust. AnyDesk warns that criminals misuse it to steal information and money, including through unexpected calls offering technical help.
Who makes it
AnyDesk Software is a remote desktop software company founded in 2014 and based in Stuttgart, Germany. Its legal name is AnyDesk Software GmbH. Its website is anydesk.com.
Is it the real one?
Every Mac app carries a signature from the developer who made it. Apple checks who the developer is before handing out the certificate, and macOS refuses to open an app whose signature has been tampered with.
HARD hasn’t yet recorded the signature on a real copy of AnyDesk. Its Mac app shows who signed the copy you have.
Its bundle ID, the name macOS knows it by, is com.philandro.anydesk. Download it only from anydesk.com, not from an ad or a link someone sends you.
Fakes. In April 2021, criminals used Google ads and copied AnyDesk websites to distribute a Windows installer containing malware. In May 2024, Scamwatch warned that impersonators ask people to install AnyDesk and then use remote access to steal banking details and money.
Scammers ask people to install or open AnyDesk in these scams, so only use it with someone you contacted yourself: Amazon scam emails, texts and calls, Cash App scams, Coinbase scams, Geek Squad scam emails, McAfee scam emails and pop-ups, Norton renewal scam emails and Venmo scams.
What it connects to
In normal use, AnyDesk talks to these places on the internet. A firewall that asks before apps connect, like the one in HARD’s Mac app, will show them.
| Address | Why |
|---|---|
*.net.anydesk.com | Reach AnyDesk servers and establish remote sessions. |
What it can see
macOS asks you before an app can use these. You can change them any time in System Settings → Privacy & Security.
| Permission | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| Screen Recording | Let the remote person see your Mac’s screen. |
| Accessibility | Let the remote person control your mouse and keyboard. |
| Full Disk Access | Let the remote person access files and folders for file transfers. |
Security record
Problems with AnyDesk or AnyDesk Software in the last three years, newest first. Keeping the app up to date covers the ones that were fixed.
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| AnyDesk fixed two Mac flaws in version 9.0.1: remotely triggered crashes (CVE-2025-27917) and memory corruption when processing network data (CVE-2025-27918). | ↗ | |
| AnyDesk disclosed a breach of its production systems and said it had completed remediation, replaced or repaired affected systems, revoked certificates and reset customer portal passwords. | ↗ |
References
- AnyDesk — App Catalog bundle identifier and signing requirements appcatalog.cloud
- AnyDesk legal notice anydesk.com
- AnyDesk company and leadership anydesk.com
- AnyDesk for macOS — official download anydesk.com
- Grant security permissions on macOS support.anydesk.com
- How to avoid remote access scams anydesk.com
- Update AnyDesk support.anydesk.com
- Configure firewalls for AnyDesk support.anydesk.com
- AnyDesk changelog for macOS anydesk.com
- CVE Program record: CVE-2025-27917 raw.githubusercontent.com
- CVE Program record: CVE-2025-27918 raw.githubusercontent.com
- AnyDesk incident response — 2 February 2024 anydesk.com
- CrowdStrike: Malvertising campaign targeting AnyDesk crowdstrike.com
- Scamwatch: Hang up on remote access scammers scamwatch.gov.au