Instagram's Dark Secret: 17.5 Million Users' Sensitive Info Stolen and on Sale on the Dark Web
A shocking discovery made by cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes has left many Instagram users on high alert. The company recently stumbled upon a cache of sensitive information belonging to an astonishing 17.5 million Instagram accounts, including usernames, physical addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and more.
It appears that this illicit data is currently being sold on the dark web, providing cybercriminals with a treasure trove of potential targets for identity theft and other malicious activities.
The news has sparked widespread concern among users who may have received unexpected password reset emails from Instagram lately. Reddit comments reveal that many are not alone in their concerns.
According to Malwarebytes, this massive data breach is believed to be linked to an API breach that occurred in 2024. The attackers likely exploited the vulnerability to access the sensitive information from Instagram's systems.
If you're one of the affected users, take immediate action to protect your personal details. Here are some essential steps to ensure your safety:
- Reset your password immediately
- Enable two-factor authentication if you haven't already
- Permanently delete all social media accounts from all platforms
However, Instagram has taken swift action to address the situation. In a statement provided by an Instagram spokesperson, they confirmed that an external party had accessed password reset emails for some users due to a system issue, but emphasized that there was no breach of their systems and people's accounts remain secure.
The company assures users that the passwords and account information can be disregarded, and they apologize for any confusion caused.
A shocking discovery made by cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes has left many Instagram users on high alert. The company recently stumbled upon a cache of sensitive information belonging to an astonishing 17.5 million Instagram accounts, including usernames, physical addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and more.
It appears that this illicit data is currently being sold on the dark web, providing cybercriminals with a treasure trove of potential targets for identity theft and other malicious activities.
The news has sparked widespread concern among users who may have received unexpected password reset emails from Instagram lately. Reddit comments reveal that many are not alone in their concerns.
According to Malwarebytes, this massive data breach is believed to be linked to an API breach that occurred in 2024. The attackers likely exploited the vulnerability to access the sensitive information from Instagram's systems.
If you're one of the affected users, take immediate action to protect your personal details. Here are some essential steps to ensure your safety:
- Reset your password immediately
- Enable two-factor authentication if you haven't already
- Permanently delete all social media accounts from all platforms
However, Instagram has taken swift action to address the situation. In a statement provided by an Instagram spokesperson, they confirmed that an external party had accessed password reset emails for some users due to a system issue, but emphasized that there was no breach of their systems and people's accounts remain secure.
The company assures users that the passwords and account information can be disregarded, and they apologize for any confusion caused.
omg can u believe instagram just spilled its darkest secret? 17.5 million ppl's sensitive info on sale on the dark web?! 
i mean, what kinda security do these guys have? 
and now we gotta deal with people being scammed left and right because of this one huge mistake 
gotta give instagram props for moving fast tho 
️ but still, 17.5 million ppl's info is a HUGE deal, gotta take it super seriously 
... i mean 17.5 million people's info just floating around on the dark web? it's like, what were instagram doing with all this sensitive info in the first place? 
should've had better security measures in place. but at the same time, i feel bad for instagram - they're trying to tell us that no account was breached and people's info is safe... how can we trust them now? 
what about the ppl who already got those password reset emails? are they just going to be scammed by some hackers or something? 
! 17.5 million users' info stolen 
and sold on dark web 
... no way to fix this? 
this is so bad 17.5 mil ppl got hacked i feel like instagram's security is super weak right now ...i dont get why they didnt warn us sooner tho 
u should def reset ur password and enable 2 factor auth 
. I mean, 17.5 million users' sensitive info just getting sold on the dark web? That's some crazy stuff, man! 
It's like we're living in a cyberpunk novel or something.
. They're the ones who are gonna have to deal with all the hassle and stress of resetting their passwords and enabling two-factor auth 
and who's responsible for it? 
that's just crazy! 
- Joseph Pulitzer 
two-factor authentication is key... if you haven't set it up already, what are you waiting for? also, permanent deletion from all platforms might sound extreme, but sometimes i think that's just the best course of action when you're dealing with sensitive info. just sayin'.
i dont know what to do i've already reset my password like 3 times and enabled 2fa but what if they got a hold of my real address tho?? 
- resetting my password, enabling 2FA, and deleting all social media accounts just in case 
anyway gotta give instagram props for being super transparent about it... feels kinda bad they had to tell us all this tho 
i feel bad for those affected, they should really double check their passwords and security settings ASAP 
so this kind of thing doesn't happen again! they're saying it was just a system issue, but i'm not buying it 
what if someone at instagram is involved in the breach?!? anyway, everyone should def reset those passwords ASAP and enable 2fa 
also, i'm considering deleting all my social media accounts lol too much drama 
anyway, gotta take those steps to reset password and enable 2fa just to be safe