How Do Instagram Accounts Get Hacked

The amount of personal information contained has made our accounts potential treasures to devious hackers. Today, it’s crucial that we secure our accounts. So, how do Instagram accounts get hacked?

In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Instagram hacking. We’ve included helpful tips to help you secure your account, steps to take if you get hacked, and many more.

• Hackers have different tactics to take control of your account such as phishing or through malicious software, third-party apps, and public WiFi.
• If there are unusual and suspicious activities on your account, you’re most probably already hacked.
• A strong password and two-factor authentication can significantly secure your account.

You’d be surprised by the many tactics hackers use to hack your accounts. We’ve listed the many ways hackers can break into your Instagram account.

Having a Weak or the Same Password for Different Accounts

One of the easiest ways to get hacked on Instagram, or any other social platform for that matter, is by using a weak password. For this reason, it’s best to create a strong Instagram password for your account. In addition, using the same password for all, or most, of your accounts increases the risk of getting hacked.

Social Engineering

Several hackers today are using different types of social engineering to get sensitive information from you and take a hold of your account. An infamous type of social engineering is phishing.

Phishing is when hackers or scammers send fraudulent emails or messages that look like they’re from legit companies. Through these emails, they’ll try to trick you into sharing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details, and many more. However, there are other variants such as the following:

• Whaling – this is similar to phishing but the targets are high-level executives such as CEOs
• Baiting – hackers will give false promises of gifts or prizes to get you to click malicious links and enter sensitive personal information
• Honey Trap – hackers will lure you into a romantic relationship to get you to share your personal details
• Watering Hole – hackers target real websites and add software that can get your login information

Those are just a few examples of social engineering. The bottom line is, hackers will use these methods to gain access to your account and steal your personal information for their personal gain.

Malicious Softwares

Keylogging software is the most common way hackers can get your account. A keylogging software tracks and record what your type into your computer. So, if your device is infected with keylogging software and you access your account, the hacker can obtain your login details.

This is just one example of malicious software. Usually, software like that comes from files you’ve downloaded off of the internet or from links you’ve clicked somewhere. Furthermore, there is also various software that can crack people’s accounts. So, if your account becomes a potential target, the software can possibly help hackers to break into your account.

Third-Party Apps

This is one of the ways you might not notice you are putting your account at risk. As most of us have experienced, you can easily connect your Instagram or Facebook accounts to other applications like games or service apps.

When this happens, you are giving some access to those third-party apps to your social media accounts. This can put your accounts in a vulnerable place since your details are no longer confined to just your trusted social media platform.

Using Public Wifi

Connecting to public wifis can also put your account at risk of getting hacked. Once you’ve connected to a hacker’s hotspot, they have access to your account data. They can even place malware on your devices without you knowing about it.

Sharing Account Details

The one thing asked of you by any platform is not to share your account details, especially your password. But, some of us are confident enough to share our passwords with either our family members, significant others, or close friends.

If your relationship with those people turns sour, they can easily hack your Instagram account and they can easily mess with your Instagram content.

You will notice and see telltale signs that your account has been hacked. These are commonly unusual activities on your profile that you’ll notice immediately. A hacked Instagram account may have one or more of the following unusual activities:

• You are now following new Instagram accounts you don’t know
• Your account has Instagram posts that you didn’t post
• Account details have been edited or changed: new username, new email address, new phone number, and new password
• You get a notification of a login attempt or a login from an unknown device
• Your account has been messaging your followers that you know did not come from you
• You cannot access your account

When you see these types of activities on your Instagram account, it’s best to request support and secure your account as soon as possible. It’s also best to change your password immediately.

Worst case scenario, you do get hacked. What do you do? Here are a few things Instagram advises you to do to keep your account safe and regain access to your account as well.

Look for an email from Instagram

If you’ve been hacked and the hacker has changed the email address linked to your Instagram account, you should find an email notifying you of this change. Check for an email from [email protected].

If you find an email about such changes, you can undo it. From the email you received, click secure my account. Follow the on-screen instructions from there to secure and recover your account.

Request Login Link

Now, if the hacker has changed other details of your account, such as the password, the best next step is to ask for a special login code or link from Instagram.

You can ask for a login link by either clicking forgot password or get help logging in here. After doing so, enter your account details and accomplish the captcha test. Instagram will then ask you if you prefer to receive your login link as a text message or an email.

Once you’ve received the link, proceed to follow the instructions. This way you can gain access to your Instagram account again.

Request Security Code

If you still can’t access and recover your account, you’ll have to request for a security code. The process is different for the Android and iPhone Instagram app.

For Android Users:

1. STEP 1

   Click on get help logging in thenenter your Instagram login info.

2. STEP 2

   Click can’t reset your password? then follow the instructions presented.

3. STEP 3

   Click on need more help? then follow the instructions again.

4. STEP 4

   Choose whether to send the code to your email or phone number. Click Send security code.

5. STEP 5

   If you don’t receive a security code, click on I can’t access this email or phone number then follow Instagram’s instructions.

For iPhone Users:

1. STEP 1

   Click on can’t reset your password?

2. STEP 2

   Choose whether to send the code to your email or phone number. Click Send security code.

3. STEP 3

   If you don’t receive a security code, click on I can’t access this email or phone number then follow Instagram’s instructions.

The first best thing you can do when you get hacked is to contact Instagram immediately. You should file a report and try to recover it after an account hack. This way your Instagram account recovery can be processed faster.

Hackers are becoming smarter and more devious these days, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stop them from hacking your account. We’ve listed the best ways you can protect your Instagram account and we recommend you apply them to your accounts immediately.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Today, almost all platforms are asking their users if they want to enable two-factor authentication. It’s an added layer of safety for your account. Having this enabled means that Instagram will ask for another form of identification apart from your login password.

So, after you enter your login details, Instagram will ask for a second authentication code to make sure that it’s you who is logging in to your account. This could be a one-time pin you receive via text or a form of biometrics like a fingerprint or a face scan.

Here’s how you can enable two-factor authentication:

1. STEP 1

   Look for Security in your Instagram settings.

2. STEP 2

   Tap on Two-factor authentication.

3. STEP 3

   Choose your security method: WhatsApp, Authentication app, or Text message.

4. STEP 4

   Depending on which you choose, follow the on-screen instructions.

After successfully enabling this, Instagram will give you Backup codes. Be sure to store these codes in a secure location. These backup codes will help give you access to your Instagram account if you lose your phone or can’t use other security measures to recover your account.

Despite having this added level of security to your account, you should still monitor your login activity and your account activity.

Create a Strong Password

As humans, we want to use passwords that are easy to remember, especially if we’re going to be entering them every day. Because of this, most people tend to create simple passwords that can easily be guessed by most hackers.

If you want to secure your account, creating a strong password is best. Furthermore, your Instagram password should be unique to your other accounts. It’s wise to use different passwords for various accounts.

Additionally, be mindful of where you store your passwords. You can store it in a private notebook that’s kept in a private place. You can also use password managers to save passwords and generate strong passwords as well. Here are a few password managers you can use:

• LastPass
• Dashlane
• LogMeOnce
• BitWarden
• 1Password

Add Your Email and Phone Number

Instagram has allowed people to create accounts without the need for an email or a phone number but this is not ideal. You won’t get emails or notifications about your login activity.

And what’s worse, you’ll have a difficult time accessing your account if you have a forgotten password. So, be sure to link an email address and phone number to your Instagram account.

Secure your Email Account

Your email account is one of the most reliable ways you can recover your accounts. Because of this, you should secure your email account. Google advises people to secure their email accounts by doing the following:

• Use a unique and strong password
• Do a Security Checkup
• Update your software
• Remove unnecessary apps and extensions
• Enable two-factor authentication

Optional Tip: Set Your Account to Private

Instagram users can switch to a private account. Having a private account can increase the security level of your account. You’re less likely to become a target for cyberattacks. Messages from other Instagram users that do not follow you will also be filtered. This way, you’ll less likely to be a victim of phishing attempts.

What Information Should I Keep Off of Instagram?

Despite the freedom given to us by social media platforms, it’s still not wise to share your entire life on the internet. To avoid getting into trouble, you should not share any of your personal information.

This includes your personal phone number, work information, credit or debit card details, other financial details, and even your car’s plate number.

In addition, it’s also best to keep your travel plans and daily schedules out of your social media accounts. You should not share your exact live location as well. Remove geographic locations on your posts too.

Lastly, it would be wise to refrain from posting any of the following: rant or negative comments, lewd and incriminating content, expensive items, political views, offensive jokes, images of children, personal fights, and threats.

Has Instagram Ever Been Hacked?

According to AnonymousHackers.net, Instagram has been previously hacked. Apparently, Instagram has been hacked in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2019. The earlier attacks were centered on posting inappropriate content on compromised accounts, while the latter attacks were focused on gaining user information.