Lottie: Uncovering a Compromised Device
Subject: Lottie, 54 years old.
Background:
Lottie contacted us following concerns her device had been compromised.
Initial Assessment:
Prior to speaking with us, Lottie had already spoken to Apple who could not help, found a document in iCloud that did not belong to her, and found unknown devices linked to various social media and online accounts.
During the initial call, Lottie was guided to send screenshots as evidence to the responder.
Actions Taken:
Discovery and advice: Our responder discovered that Lottie had a mode enabled on her phone that may have led to her being logged into new sessions each time she tried to do something - which may have explained the devices that were showing as logged in. Lottie was advised to turn this mode off for 48 hours to see if anything changed.
Report Harmful Content: Lottie disclosed there was also a Facebook account linked to her email address that she was unable to remove. We advised that this information could be sent to Report Harmful Content to assist with removal.
Harmful content removed: With Lottie’s approval, we reported the Facebook account to Report Harmful Content, and the account was successfully removed after our report.
Further Investigation: Lottie was still noticing logins on her phone that seemed unusual. She also mentioned apps were opening when she didn’t open the app. Our responder deduced that malicious software may have been installed on one, or several of her devices.
Additional Resources: Lottie was sent the guide Removing Malicious Software for review. She was also given support on how to scan for Malware.
Outcome:
Lottie successfully had an unknown Facebook account removed from her email address, and actioned the malware advice given.
Get Help:
Has something similar happened to you or someone you know? Speak to us today.