One of the most widely used social media platforms is Instagram. Around 1.21 billion Instagram accounts existed globally in 2021. With the help of photos, stories, and videos, many users have shared aspects of their lives on this single app.
While cybercriminals are more motivated to hack Instagram accounts than on any other widely used social media platform. How to hack Instagram?
This article will discuss the five typical approaches and what you can do to avoid Instagram account hacking.
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How to Hack Instagram ID?
There are a number of ways for hackers to access your Instagram account. Here are some typical ways that hackers can manipulate your Instagram account.
Method 1: Using The Phishing
A hacking technique called phishing involves sending emails that appear to be from a trustworthy company. With just these emails, people might be duped into divulging sensitive data like credit card numbers, passwords, and social security numbers.
The social media accounts of the user can also be accessed using this technique. The email or Instagram message may pretend to be from the Instagram company and inform the recipient that they have been the target of an attack. In order to proceed, they will be told to enter their username and password. A hacker only needs that information to access their account.
Method 2: Password With A Keylogger
Another method for hacking your Instagram account is keylogging software. Since the software needs to be installed on your computer, it is more challenging for hackers to do this from a distance. It is the kind of thing, though, that your employer might have access to.
Every keystroke made on the target device can be monitored by this software. You could go to Instagram, enter your login information, and keep track of each key you pressed and sent to another computer. Someone could determine your username and password by using that information to determine which of those strokes you used.
Method 3: Hack An Account By Guessing A Password
Hackers who use the technique to access your Instagram account might guess your password. It’s the approach some parents might take when it comes to their kids’ gadgets.
It might be simple to figure out someone’s password if you know them. It might be the name of their favorite band or the name of their animal companion. Furthermore, a lot of users use the same password across multiple accounts, which makes it even simpler.
Method 4: By Opening Saved Passwords Storage
It takes a great deal of practice to hack into computer-saved passwords because it is a tricky method. Actual hackers who don’t want to use your information for good purposes employ this technique.
The use of phishing is occasionally combined with it. The passwords to all the websites you frequently visit can be found in your files if they can persuade you to grant them remote access to your computer by clicking a login link.
They can access your photos, Instagram messages, friends list, and more once they figure out your Instagram password.
What Will Happen If Your Instagram Account Is Hacked?
The last thing you might want is to have your Instagram account hacked by someone else. If a hacker can manage your account on this social media app, they’ll be able to have access to your personal information like:
- Phone number
- Email address
- Birthday
- Name
- Videos
- Photos
- Stories
- Activities
- People you follow
- Messages
- Likes
Hackers typically collect personal information to gain access to your email, accounts on other social media apps, bank accounts, and a variety of other services.
Instagram Hacks And Vulnerabilities
- Weak Passwords
- Remote Keyloggers
- Phishing Emails
- Zero Day Vulnerability
- Mobile Operating System Vulnerabilities
1. Weak Passwords
If the passwords are simple and widely used, like a nickname, phone number, partner’s name, pet name, to name a few, hackers can easily hack Instagram accounts. Once the hacker has your password, they can access your account however they please by using a brute force attack.
How To Prevent Weak Passwords?
Users should make sure to choose a strong password that combines numbers, symbols, the space bar, and both lowercase and uppercase letters. They must make sure that the password they use for their Instagram account is distinct from the password they use for their other social media or email accounts.
As a result, there would be less chance of your account being compromised. HaveIBeenPwned is frequently used to check the security of your accounts. You can check here to see if anyone has seen your login information.
2. Remote Keyloggers
A remote keylogger is a “piece of software that records whatever you type on your mobile device or computer and sends it to the person who installed it” (An installed keylogger will record everything typed (including passwords, login credentials, bank information, etc.).) will be recorded and can be viewed by the hacker. This is a covert way for hackers to gain access to Instagram accounts.
How To Prevent Against Remote Keyloggers?
- Do not use third party keyboard apps
- Do not open any attachments or click on links in the email message as the keylogger may be embedded in the attachment
- Install anti-spyware applications to help detect, disable, quarantine software-based keyboard loggers (Norton)
3. Phishing Emails
An attacker will send you an email that appears to be from Instagram and instructs you to click a link to reset your password or complete a survey by clicking on it. No matter what the email’s content, as soon as you click the link and enter any credentials, the attacker has your personal information and has taken over your Instagram account.
Using phishing emails that claimed these accounts might be eligible to receive the Verified badge on their Instagram profile, a hacking group stole the identities of high-profile individuals in 2019. In order to verify their Instagram account, the user must click a link in the email and enter their login information (see screenshot below).
The attacker was successful in obtaining the high-profile accounts’ login information and duped users into believing they were verified. Another way to hack Instagram accounts is through this.
How To Prevent Phishing Attacks?
- In order to be aware of phishing emails, users should be educated and informed about their characteristics. Here are what you can do:
- Do not click on any links or open any attachments from a suspicious email
- Do not enter personal information from a pop-up screen (note: legit companies would never ask for personal information via a pop-up screen
- Keep an eye out for misspellings in the contents of the email
4. Zero Day Vulnerability
A zero day vulnerability is a “software security flaw that is known to the software vendor but doesn’t have a patch in place to fix the flaw” and may be exploited by hackers (If a hacker discovers a zero-day vulnerability on Instagram, there may be serious security risks for Instagram users and their accounts. The hackers are at an advantage because the vulnerability is new and hasn’t been made public yet.
How To Protect Against A Zero Day Vulnerability?
- Although it is impossible to completely avoid zero day vulnerabilities, you can take the necessary security measures to stop Instagram from being hacked. These are just a few:
- Make sure that you are using the latest version of Instagram
- Enable two factor authentication
5. Mobile Operating System Vulnerabilities
If the mobile operating system has flaws, hackers may be able to access not only the phones themselves but also Instagram. The majority of vulnerabilities that are exploited might be zero day vulnerabilities.
How To Protect against Operating System Vulnerabilities?
- Make sure to upgrade your operating system when an update is available
- Avoid installing apps from untrusted sources and only from those listed in the app store’s trusted sources.
Why Do People Hack Instagram Accounts Without Passwords?
The term “hacking” immediately conjures images of computer thieves. The majority of the time, that phrase refers to breaking into someone’s computer in order to steal or carry out a covert action.
However, here are some valid reasons why people want to hack someone’s Instagram account:
For Parental Control: In today’s online world, parents of young children or teenagers must exercise caution. Many different opportunities exist for exploitation. They might be the subject of physical or sexual abuse or even worse, peer-to-peer cyberbullying. Parents must have a tool that will let them monitor what their kids are doing online and who they are messaging.
While monitoring your child’s activities on Instagram would probably enrage them, many parents are at a loss for alternatives to ensure their children are safe.
For Revealing a Cheating Spouse: Finding out your spouse has been unfaithful is one of the few things that can be more emotionally damaging. To obtain evidence of their spouse’s infidelity, some people have discovered numerous ways to hack their spouse’s Instagram account. Although it might seem like the final step, in some states, that proof is required during the divorce process.
For Employee Monitoring: There aren’t many situations in which a business can defend hacking the Instagram accounts of its employees. They might counter that they want to make sure you are not using social media at work. They might claim that they are keeping an eye on you to make sure your behavior complies with their corporate standards.
Most people believe that viewing your private Instagram account violates your trust and that they have access to all of the information you have posted publicly. To access your social media accounts, some businesses will use software, though.
For Stealing Personal Information: The most frequent reason for unauthorized access to an Instagram account by hackers is to obtain personal data. If a hacker manages to access an Instagram account, they may be able to access the people the user connects with online and create accounts in that person’s name.
Additionally, they might have access to sensitive personal data associated with the account, which would enable them to compile and steal vital personal data.
Final Thoughts
You are aware of the ways in which a hacker could exploit your account, but there are many steps you can take to safeguard yourself.
In situations where initial prevention may not be possible, hackers are constantly one step ahead by developing new techniques. As a result, you need to take all necessary steps to ensure the security of your account.
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