17.5 Million Instagram Accounts Leaked: Are You Affected?
- Emails, phone numbers, and physical addresses of 17.5 million Instagram users leaked on the dark web and BreachForums. - Free scan to check if your data is in the leaked data (by Malwarebytes). - Meta is yet to respond to the data breach. In the meantime, here's how you can protect yourself.
A huge data leak exposed 17.5 million Instagram accounts (and you could be one among them). The news was first reported by a cybersecurity company called Malwarebytes (on January 9). It is said that the leaked information is available for free on hacker forums and the dark web. This is massive, considering that criminals can access seventeen million people and abuse them.
Personal contact details, such as usernames, email addresses, and more, are out there. Several also reported receiving a password reset email without even asking for it. What's going on at Meta? Is this something you need to worry about? And more importantly, what should you do now to protect yourself? For all that, learn more.
Where Did the 17.5 Million Instagram Accounts Leak Come From?
According to Malwarebytes, the leak came from an Instagram API leak in 2024. On January 7, a hacker named “Solonik” posted the data (the same data Malwarebytes found) on BreachForums. This data (of over 17 million Instagram users) was shared for free in JSON and TXT formats. It is reported that the leaked records were corrected via scraping, an unsecured API, and a misconfigured system. Of course, it affects Instagram users worldwide.
What Information From 17.5 Million Instagram Accounts Got Leaked?
According to Malwarebytes, the company found the leaked data during routine monitoring of the dark web. To confirm this, they ran a cross-check and found the leaked data to be legitimate. Well, the good news is that passwords are safe. And the bad news is that the leak included the personal contact details, such as:
- Instagram usernames
- Full names
- Email addresses
- Phone numbers
- Partial physical addresses
- User IDs and profile-related details
Such information is considered sensitive in cybersecurity and can be easily misused.
Why Leaked Instagram Account Information Is Dangerous for You?
Passwords aren't the issue anymore, as the leaked information is enough for misuse and abuse. Attackers make the scams look convincing. So, before you know it, your money is gone. Malwarebytes warns that criminals can use it for crimes like:
- Phishing scams (send fake emails or messages pretending to be Instagram, and many fall victim)
- Impersonation (pretending to be you)
- Account takeover attempts
- Credential harvesting (tricking you into giving passwords)
- SIM swapping (taking control of your phone number)
- Abusing Instagram’s password reset system
Note: Meta has remained silent. No confirmation or clarity whatsoever on the breach yet.
What Should Instagram Users Do Now (After the Information Leak)?
- Change your Instagram passwords right away.
- If you haven't turned on two-factor authentication (2FA) using an authenticator app (not SMS if possible).
- If you get password reset emails or messages without even asking for it, don't open or click the links sent.
- Be very careful with suspicious links or share codes.
Note: Malwarebytes offered a free Digital Footprint scan to check whether your details are among the leaked data.
Final Thoughts…
Do check the Malwarebytes free scanner link if your information was leaked. Part of the leak or not, it is better to change your Instagram passwords immediately (as advised). Be careful of the scammy emails and messages, and don’t ever click on them. Inform your parents and friends of this and safeguard yourself.
Sarika Anand
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