Numerous Instagram Users Report Their Accounts Hacked

Dozens of Instagram users have reported getting their accounts hacked over the past month. The victims have posted on Twitter and Reddit recounting how they are logged out of their Instagram accounts and having profile pictures, handles, contact and bio information changed. The hacker also changes the email address and disables two-factor authentication making it harder for a user to recover the account.

It is yet unknown who is behind the Instagram account hacks. However, there are a number of similarities that suggest the same person or group are behind the campaign. One of the similarities involves having the profile picture changed to Dinsey or Pixar related images. The compromised accounts also have the associated email changed to a .ru, a Russian domain suffix.

A hacked social media account can present some serious problems to some users more than others. People who manage social media accounts for an organization or influencers with sponsorships can be financially affected by the hack. While Instagram has services to regain access to a hacked account, many users state the process is noticeably tedious and in some cases can take days until access is restored.