Instagram Denies Breach After 17 Million Account Leak Sparks Panic

A massive database purportedly containing the personal information of over 17 million Instagram users has surfaced on a popular hacking forum, sparking widespread concern over the security of the social media giant’s infrastructure. Meta denies this "leak" is anything to be concerned about and says it's merely from a compilation of older data.

The controversy began when a threat actor claimed to have exfiltrated a massive cache of personal data from 17.5 million Instagram accounts and then offered it on several hacking forums for free. The leaked dataset allegedly includes details such as account usernames, full names, email addresses, phone numbers, and profile descriptions. In some instances, the data appears to include location information and specific account IDs.

Cybercriminals stole the sensitive information of 17.5 million Instagram accounts, including usernames, physical addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and more. pic.twitter.com/LXvjjQ5VXL

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