Malwarebytes discovered that hackers stole the sensitive information of 17.5 million Instagram accounts. Complete with usernames, physical addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and more, this data can be abused by cybercriminals to impersonate trusted brands, trick users, and steal their passwords.

Critically, this data is already being offered on the dark web, with individual users also receiving legitimate password reset notifications from Instagram.

What to do:

• Beware of emails and messages that claim to come from Instagram, as they could be sent by malicious hackers trying to trick you into handing over your password… Don’t click on anything!
• If you’re concerned, sign directly into your Instagram account and reset your password to a new, strong, unique password, and set up “Two-factor authentication” (this will send a text to your phone for authentication) to keep your account secured. 
• Instagram has a support page that explains how to set up two-factor authentication, reset passwords, what to do if your account gets hacked, and how to keep your account safe. All available here: support page 
• As mentioned in prior emails, make sure ALL online accounts you have (Social media, Shopping, Banking, etc) are set up with two-factor authentication (2FA), to keep your accounts secured. 

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