Their initial message doesn’t address the account owner by name. They either create new accounts or reuse stolen accounts for this purpose.

They then use phishing emails, messaging apps such as Telegram and WhatsApp, or Instagram itself to reach out to the potential victim. Sometimes, they assume the identity of a friend of the target account owner. To bait targets, hackers often disguise their accounts as technical support accounts. How cybercriminals hack Instagram accounts Also, examining this and other, similar schemes reminds users to never take proper cybersecurity hygiene for granted. A heightened awareness of the tactics used in the campaign means fewer people will be fooled into practically handing over their account credentials to cybercriminals. Why is it important to investigate such a campaign? As the adage goes, “Knowing is half the battle,” and the same can be said of this scheme. Having amassed thousands, if not millions, of followers and often earning from brand deals, affiliate marketing, and other means, influencers have so much to lose should their accounts get compromised. For maximum impact, the hackers behind this campaign hound social media influencers, a pattern that has also been seen in past campaigns. In this article, we examine another Instagram account hacking campaign carried out by individual actors or by hacking groups. In recent years, we have observed various groups and baits linked to such schemes. Instagram alone has over a billion users every month - roughly an eighth of the world’s current population.Īnd like bees to nectar, cybercriminals also flock to these popular sites as they hunt for hacking and extortion prey. Numerous people use social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for both personal and business purposes. Updated July 19, 2021: Added information on Instagram’s new Security Checkup feature.

How to hack instagram accounts