My mom received a call from her internet service provider informing her that her two Firestick devices were involved in a large-scale DDoS attack. After their conversation, they guided her to factory reset the devices, but they ended up not working at all. This could be due to her possibly misunderstanding the instructions over the phone.
Here's what I know about the situation:
- The MAC addresses are registered to Amazon, and the devices have the Amazon logo.
- There's no physical information on the devices, and now I can't even plug them in to see if they display anything.
- My mom sent me a picture, and the device has a female end with a USB dongle attached, which seems unusual compared to typical streaming devices.
- Her other devices appear unaffected.
So, what type of device could this be? Is it possible it's a superbox or something similar that was preloaded with software? Should I take any steps to safeguard against future issues?
6 Answers
I'd be cautious if they asked her for codes, passwords, or to install something. Usually, ISPs don't call proactively about DDoS attacks from a Firestick—seems fishy to me. If you're unsure but have suspicions, maybe just stop using those devices without following their instructions!
Did the device look like this? [link to image] Just trying to confirm because it sounds like one of those models.
Yes, that's it! It just has the Amazon smile logo instead of anything else based on her blurry photo.
Honestly, they're pretty cheap—around $18 at Target. You've already spent more time worrying about those Firesticks than they're worth. Just buy her new ones!
Already done, lol! No more letting her buy her own stuff without my help!
If your ISP gives instructions on devices they didn't provide, that's unusual. Usually, they’d just tell you to handle it yourself. Call them back through official contact info to verify everything and see if they instructed her to use a PC. If they did, consider that device compromised and look into securing her network.
I called their verified helpline, and it was indeed them. They never asked her for her PC or any passwords. I made sure to get all the details!
ISPs typically won’t make these calls. There's a good chance a scam might have been involved. Always contact them directly using known phone numbers to see if that call was legitimate.
I did that right after hearing! It was definitely them calling.
If anyone calls providing instructions on your devices, treat it as a potential scam. Always double-check directly with your ISP.
That was my initial thought too, but I verified it was definitely them. They only mentioned blocking the device and didn’t ask for any information or installation.