Instagram is currently one of the most popular social networks in the world. At the same time, interest in social networks has increased. For this reason, many users face the daily fact that someone wants to steal their account or other data. How can cybercriminals hack into your account? What to do to protect yourself?
Speaking about the most common methods of hacking Instagram accounts, it is worth saying that few cybercriminals have excellent knowledge of programming. For this reason, almost all of them use simple techniques, and the most common of them is password guessing. Special programs help guess passwords, but it is elementary to protect yourself from this. You only need two-factor authentication.
How Do Hackers Hack Instagram Accounts Without Cybersecurity Knowledge?
Hackers can hack an Instagram account without knowledge in the field of cybersecurity. One of the main ways is to access a device with an authorized account. For example, if you forgot to log out of your account in a computer club, then your page will almost certainly be hacked.
A similar situation can happen if another person gains access to your device. For example, if you lose your phone, an attacker will be able to access your account without any problems. In this case, even two-factor authentication will not help because having access to email can bypass this security measure.
Always think about whether you have remained authorized on someone else’s device to protect yourself. If such a situation occurs, you can always change the password or remotely end all sessions on other devices.
How Does Instagram Get Hacked?
If we talk about remote hacking attempts, when the hacker does not have direct access to your account, then there are some of the most common methods. Many of them are related to social engineering, when a hacker manipulates a user to click on suspicious links or register on an unverified site. Below are the most common ways to hack Instagram accounts.
Instagram Hacks Using Malicious Software
One of the most common ways to hack Instagram accounts is through remote keyloggers. This program, being installed on the victim’s personal computer, records everything the user enters. Thus, the hacker gains access to all logins and passwords you enter on your computer. This malware can infect your computer even after following a link or downloading suspicious third-party apps.
In addition, fraudulent sites are used as phishing sites. For example, you may be asked to register on a site ostensibly to receive money, and then they use your registration data and try to hack into your account. If such a message came from an unknown user, then be sure that he wants to hack you.
Hacking apps and sites is illegal, and in many countries, there are penalties for creating and using such sites and apps. However, in most cases, cybercriminals are challenging to trace, so to protect your data, you should remember all the precautions to avoid becoming a victim of a hack.
Instagram Hacks Using Third-Party Apps
Attackers may try to hack into the application that Instagram users use to access the social network. This is possible because many users, in search of variety, download different applications to get additional functionality. However, sometimes this can lead to hacking.
Instagram Hacks Due to Password Issues
It’s no secret that easy passwords are one of the main reasons Instagram users get hacked. For this reason, you should come up with a strong password for your account since, in this case, it will become almost impossible to hack into your account.
If you use the same password for all accounts on different sites, then if data is leaked from one of them, all your accounts will become insecure.
Tips To Safeguard Your Instagram Account
Knowing what methods hackers can use to hack Instagram profiles can strengthen the necessary security precautions. To avoid being targeted by hackers, you must protect your Instagram account. Below are the most up-to-date tips to help you avoid Instagram hacking.
Strong Password
The simplest thing you can do to protect your account on social media platforms is to set a strong password. To do this, you do not need to invent it yourself. Instead, you can use password managers or generate a random one. In this case, the chances of being hacked are minimal since the fraudster, even with the help of programs, will not be able to sort out all existing passwords. Furthermore, password managers will allow you to access any of your passwords even without the Internet. Thus, you will not be able to lose your account due to a forgotten password, as all of them will be stored in a safe place.
A widespread mistake that many Instagram profile owners make is creating the same password. This is risky because the attacker will have to hack only one to get all the accounts. For each Instagram account, you should create a unique password to minimize the chances of losing all tabs at once.
Two-Factor Authentication
This feature can save your account even if you have weak passwords. Even though this feature has been available for quite some time, many users are unaware of it. This security measure requires users to provide additional confirmation when logging into their account from a device, which helps protect the reserve. For example, suppose an attacker tries to access your Instagram account. In that case, he will need to enter a confirmation code that will be sent to your phone or a particular application for authentication. This way, you will be able to find out if someone tries to log into your account using your password.
To enable two-factor authentication, you need to go to the account details and choose how you want to receive the security code. Options include an authentication app and a text message.
Text Message
You can enable two-factor authentication without downloading any apps. If you have not entered your phone number yet, you will be prompted to do so. As a result, when you try to log into your account, a security code will be sent to your phone, which you will need to enter. This is the only way to access your Instagram account from an unauthorized device.
Authentication App
This third-party application can be downloaded to any mobile operating system, including an android device. The application generates a random code, and whenever you want to log into your account from an unrecognized device, you need to enter it. This will secure your Instagram account and make any hacking attempts unsuccessful. Even if you have weak passwords, no one can hack you.
Make sure your email account is secure
Email security is one of the main things you should do in order to avoid getting your Instagram account hacked. If someone gains access to your mail, they can easily change the password for all linked accounts. So having an email with strong passwords is one of the best ways to protect your account. The advantage will also be the presence of two-factor authentication in the mail.
What should I do if my Instagram is hacked?
If you think that your Instagram profile has been hacked, then follow the instructions below:
1. Check your email. If you see a message from security@mail.instagram.com indicating that your email address has been changed, you should undo this action immediately. Use the appropriate option in the letter.
2. Request a link to reset your Instagram password. If the hackers managed to change the password, then using the link, you can log into your accounts and change the password.
3. Report the hack. If you can’t log into your account, you can report a hacked Instagram account. Click on “Help us recover your account” and select “I can’t access this email address or phone number.”
After filling in all the data and submitting the request, you will be sent an auto-response email from the Instagram support service, in which you will need to verify your identity. You will need a photo of your face and a piece of paper on which the code that Instagram sent you should be handwritten. And also the phone number or email address you provided when registering on the social media site.
Conclusion
Now you know the main tricks of hackers and what protection measures you can take to avoid becoming a victim of hacked Instagram. Social media accounts are becoming the main form of leisure for many users, so there is a natural increase in hackers trying to steal user data. Follow all the above recommendations, and you will never lose both valuable data and your Instagram account.
FAQ
Hackers can contact you through messages on any social network, including Instagram. They may promise you something for clicking on a suspicious link or for downloading an app. If you don’t open suspicious links or visit untrusted sites, you won’t be able to be hacked.
If a hacker has access to your account, he can get into it. However, if you follow all the above recommendations, only you will have access to your Instagram account.
This is quite difficult to do since you need to come up with various schemes for it to work.