The cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes simply observed one thing disagreeable taking place over on the darkish net:
Cybercriminals stole the delicate data of 17.5 million Instagram accounts, together with usernames, bodily addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and extra. This information is offered on the market on the darkish net and could be abused by cybercriminals.
— Malwarebytes (@malwarebytes.com) January 9, 2026 at 8:34 AM
Did you obtain any sudden password reset emails from Instagram currently? If the feedback on a Reddit post about this breach from a few hours ago are any indication, you’re not alone.
Plainly the bodily addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and different data connected to the accounts of 17.5 million Instagram customers is offered on the market within the sketchier elements of the web.
Apparently Malwarebytes performs sweeps of the darkish internet for gadgets like this, and surmised that this cache of non-public particulars is tied a 2024 API breach that probably allowed an attacker to pry the data out of Instagram.
Some steps you’ll be able to take to make sure that your data is secure embrace:
- Resetting your password proper now
- Turning on two-factor authentication should you haven’t already
- Completely deleting all social media accounts from all platforms
To this point Instagram doesn’t seem to have revealed an announcement about this problem. Gizmodo reached out to Meta for remark, and can replace if we hear again.
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