As more organizations move toward remote work, distributed teams, and cloud-connected environments, remote access solutions have become indispensable tools for enabling workforce flexibility.

However, while the rise of remote access is an excellent technological progress, it has created more access points and more opportunities for attackers.

Today, remote access attacks and exploitation of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) remain among the most common initial access methods used by ransomware groups and cybercriminals.

One positive trend? We now have more detailed reporting than ever. Security vendors, IR teams, and news outlets frequently publish incident analyses that show precisely how attackers gain access, which remote access tools they use, and how they escalate privileges.

For organizations willing to pay attention, this level of transparency offers two major benefits:

• You see exactly how remote access vulnerabilities are being exploited.
• You see what must change in your environment to reduce risk.

In this guide, we break down the most common remote access vulnerabilities, how attackers exploit them, and the specific steps you can take to secure your environment and prevent RDP-based ransomware attacks.

Common Remote Access Vulnerabilities

Remote access vulnerabilities are the backbone of many successful cyberattacks. They provide an open door for attackers to infiltrate your network, steal data, or deploy malicious software.

As global remote work expands, the remote access risk grows. According to the World Economic Forum, global digital jobs are set to increase by 25% by 2030, adding millions of new remote endpoints that could become potential entry points for attackers.

This underscores the importance of understanding these vulnerabilities to strengthen your security posture and prevent potential breaches.

Below, we discuss the most common remote access vulnerabilities organizations face today:

Lack of Information & Visibility

Many organizations lack comprehensive visibility and understanding of remote access systems, such as VPN configurations, RDP settings, and third-party access controls.

Without a clear inventory of remote access tools and endpoints, it’s easy for misconfigurations to occur. These gaps in knowledge can lead to:

• Poorly configured VPNs and firewalls
• Accidental exposure of sensitive data
• Unauthorized users gaining access through poorly secured devices

Furthermore, remote workers may unknowingly connect to unsecured public Wi-Fi, increasing the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks.

Password Sharing & Weak Credentials

Sharing passwords is a common but dangerous practice. When employees share credentials, especially for remote access systems, tracking accountability becomes difficult.

Reused or weak passwords make systems vulnerable to brute-force attacks or credential stuffing. Furthermore, when an employee leaves, failing to change shared passwords can leave systems open to exploitation long after the employee is gone.

Unsecured or Outdated Software

Ransomware and other types of malware exploit unpatched software. Many organizations continue to use outdated RDP software, VPN clients, or other remote access systems, which are known targets for cybercriminals. Vulnerabilities in these systems:

• Allow malware delivery through unpatched exploits
• Enable remote code execution from attackers
• Provide backdoor access to sensitive data and systems

Many software vendors regularly release patches to fix these vulnerabilities, but failing to apply updates leaves the systems exposed. Third-party software, plugins, or extensions that are outdated or insecure can also provide unintentional entry points.

Use of Personal Devices for Remote Work

Personal devices, those not managed by the organization’s IT department, pose a significant risk when used for work. Employees may connect from:

• Unsecured personal devices, which lack enterprise-grade security controls
• Devices that fail to comply with company security policies, such as endpoint encryption
• Shadow IT, where unauthorized apps or services are used for work

These devices may also lack regular security updates, leaving organizations vulnerable to malware and ransomware attacks. Personal devices typically lack the same level of control, monitoring, or authentication as company-managed devices, leaving them vulnerable to unauthorized access.

Inadequate Patch Management

Many organizations face challenges in patching and updating systems, especially when dealing with legacy infrastructure or limited IT resources. Unpatched systems are easy targets for cybercriminals, who actively scan networks for vulnerabilities. When patches are delayed or missed:

• Attackers can exploit known vulnerabilities in remote access software
• Automated attack tools can scan for unpatched devices and compromise them
• Malicious code can spread across the network using these vulnerabilities as entry points

In the case of RDP, attackers often use brute-force attacks on weak or unpatched services to gain access.

Vulnerable Backups

Backups are crucial for recovery in the event of a cyberattack, but unsecured backups can also be a target. Attackers often look for exposed cloud backups or unencrypted data, using them as secondary attack points. Without strong access controls and encryption, these backups can become an easy entry point for data theft or ransomware.

Poor Device Hygiene

Neglecting regular device updates and security checks can increase the risk of malware and ransomware infections. Over time, devices accumulate vulnerabilities, which:

• Increase the attack surface for cybercriminals
• Allow unauthorized access if permissions or security certificates are outdated
• Enable attackers to infect devices, which can later be used as launchpads for larger network infiltrations

Regular device hygiene and updating security software are essential to reducing the risk of security breaches.

Phishing Attacks

Phishing remains one of the most prevalent methods of gaining unauthorized access. Cybercriminals send:

• Deceptive emails that look legitimate: Attackers often send emails that mimic trusted companies, suppliers, or internal departments. These messages may include fake invoices, password-reset links, or urgent requests designed to trick users into clicking malicious links or sharing sensitive information.
• Smishing (SMS phishing) or vishing (voice phishing): Cybercriminals also use text messages and phone calls to appear credible. Smishing messages may contain links to fraudulent websites or urgent prompts to “verify” your account. Vishing involves callers impersonating banks, IT support, or government agencies to pressure victims into revealing login details, financial information, or security codes.
• Fake login portals: Attackers set up look-alike login pages for services like email or cloud accounts. These pages closely mimic real branding and URLs, tricking users into entering their usernames and passwords, which are then stolen.

Attackers are now using advanced tactics, including machine learning, to craft personalized phishing messages and domain spoofing to make their attacks more believable. Once credentials are stolen, they can easily be used to access remote access systems such as RDP, VPNs, or cloud services.

How Attackers Exploit Remote Access Vulnerabilities to Gain Access

It has long been understood that a significant percentage of ransomware attacks, regardless of the variant, begin with either phishing or remote desktop–based intrusions.

Phishing, which we mentioned in the previous section, is an obvious entry point: when successful, it hands attackers an endpoint session and valid user credentials. But remote desktop attacks (including those conducted through commercial remote access tools) offer the same outcome.

Whether attackers use brute-force attempts—testing thousands of passwords—or stolen credentials purchased or harvested from prior breaches, RDP-based attacks remain equally effective and therefore stand shoulder-to-shoulder with phishing as a top initial attack vector.

Real Examples of RDP Exploitation

A well-documented example involves MedusaLocker, a ransomware variant first identified in 2019 that has recently resurged enough to prompt a Joint Cybersecurity Advisory from government agencies. MedusaLocker operators primarily target exposed RDP connections—sometimes published intentionally for convenience, other times accidentally left open. After gaining access, they deploy ransomware, encrypt critical data, and demand payment.

Another high-impact case, documented by researchers at Sophos, revealed how a group leveraging LockBit ransomware infiltrated a U.S. government network via RDP. Shockingly, the attackers conducted lateral exploration across the network for five months without being detected before initiating ransomware deployment.

How Attackers Escalate and Move Laterally Using Remote Access

Now that you understand how attackers exploit remote access vulnerabilities to gain access, let’s discuss how they escalate and move laterally using remote access:

Once attackers obtain local access, the next logical phase, according to the MITRE ATT&CK Framework, is lateral movement. Remote access mechanisms (especially internal RDP) are commonly abused during this stage.

Recent data from ransomware incident-response firm Coveware shows that lateral movement occurs in roughly 70% of ransomware attacks. Their analysts note that this phase “mainly consists of abusing internal remote desktop (RDP) after initial access has been made.”

By moving laterally, attackers escalate permissions, access additional endpoints, locate sensitive data, and position ransomware for maximum impact.

Effective Strategies to Prevent Remote Access Misuse in Ransomware Attacks

With threat actors consistently abusing remote access for malicious purposes, IT and security leaders must take decisive steps to reduce risk. Below are the most impactful actions organizations can take to prevent misuse:

Disable Externally-Facing Remote Access

Attackers frequently brute-force credentials on desktops and servers exposed to the public internet. Even Microsoft’s recent Windows 11 update, which automatically blocks RDP brute-force attempts, cannot fully mitigate the threat, especially when attackers have a set of stolen credentials in hand.

With 59% of organizations experiencing phishing-based campaigns focused on stealing credentials, mixed with the presence of Dark Web services devoted to selling credentials, it should be evident that many attackers no longer rely on brute force to gain access.

Whenever feasible, eliminate externally accessible RDP and other desktop-level remote access routes.

Consider Stopping RDP Altogether

For both externally and internally based remote desktop access, Microsoft has taken steps to ensure its RDP services are as secure as possible. But there remains a two-fold problem:

• First, not every organization secures its RDP across all endpoints.
• Second, even if it is secure, ransomware gangs are now looking for zero-day exploits (and are willing to pay seven-figure sums for them), and the prevalence of RDP across almost every Microsoft environment makes it a prime target for hackers looking to find ways to take advantage of “commodity” applications that are widely available.

Shifting to secure, modern remote access solutions with granular controls can significantly reduce your risk surface.

Enable Secure Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) remains one of the most effective defenses against remote access misuse. Requiring a second factor, such as smartcards, certificates, authenticator apps, or hardware keys, renders stolen passwords effectively useless and prevents unauthorized access even when credentials are compromised.

Regularly Update and Patch Software

Regularly updating and patching all remote access tools and software is crucial for keeping attackers at bay. Unpatched systems are a prime target for cybercriminals, so staying current on updates is essential to protecting your network.

Educate and Train Employees

Invest in cybersecurity training to raise awareness of the risks associated with remote access. Training your workforce on the dangers of phishing and password management will help reduce the likelihood of credential theft and unauthorized access.

You may also like: VNC vs SSH: Choosing the Right Remote Access Protocol for Secure System Administration.

Strengthen Remote Access Security with RealVNC Before It’s Too Late

Cybersecurity strategies must continuously evolve to reflect the current threat landscape. Frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK exist for this very reason—to help organizations stay aligned with how attackers operate in real environments.

Remote access will remain a top target for ransomware groups until organizations prioritize security-first configuration rather than productivity-first convenience.

By studying today’s attack patterns and implementing the recommendations above, organizations can significantly strengthen the security of their remote access environment and reduce their internal and external attack surface.

In short: securing remote access isn’t optional, it’s foundational to avoid security risks.

Now is the time to assess your remote access solutions and ensure they are robust enough to defend against today’s threats.

Learn more about how RealVNC’s secure remote access solutions can help protect your network from ransomware attacks and block unauthorized access attempts.

FAQs

Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about remote access attacks.

What is a remote access attack?

A remote access attack occurs when cybercriminals gain unauthorized entry into a system or network through remote access methods such as RDP, VPNs, SSH, or cloud-based remote tools. These attacks commonly involve credential theft, phishing, or exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities. In many cases, attackers automate these attempts to target large numbers of exposed systems.

What vulnerabilities are associated with remote access?

Common vulnerabilities include misconfigured RDP, weak or reused passwords, exposed endpoints, outdated or unpatched software, unsecured personal devices, and insufficient authentication controls. These weaknesses give attackers easy entry points to compromise networks.

What are the three main types of remote access?

The primary forms of remote access include:

• Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP): RDP is widely used but frequently targeted due to open ports and weak credentials.
• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): VPNs encrypt traffic but can be a single point of failure if compromised.
• Cloud-based remote access solutions: These tools rely heavily on account security and proper MFA configuration.