Cyber Hackers have now set their sights on the Instagram accounts of high-profile and social media influencers with phishing emails so as to gain access to their accounts before the influencers can even comprehend what's going on.
As indicated by sources it was reported that the hackers have especially targeted those Instagram profiles that have followers somewhere in the range of 15,000 and 70,000. Their targets for the most part go from well-known actors and artists to even proprietors of new companies.
Starting with the phishing emails showing up from Instagram requesting that the user should verify their accounts to get the 'Verified' batch on their respective Instagram profiles; it takes them to the phishing page that requests the following user certain details such as their date of birth, email, and credentials.
Once submitted, a batch notification shows up, yet for just four seconds. This is a trap to give the users the feeling that their profile has been verified thusly.
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| A visualization of how the hackers are stealing the Instagram profiles |
As the user enters the credentials in the phishing page attackers gain access to those credentials and by utilizing them they access the Instagram profiles and change the data that requires recouping the stolen account.
The attackers change the username of the stolen address to show that it is hacked and use it to change the email address, over and over in order to trap the users with security emails making them feel as though the changes made were legitimate indeed.
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| Screenshot of the phishing email asking the user to verify his Instagram account |
That is exactly what happened to a photographer who had approximately 15,000 followers on Instagram, when she had her account stolen.
The hackers nowadays have therefore, without any doubt become experts in areas where they 'lure' the victims into handing out their personal information to get a motivating force, particularly like the blue batch on their profiles and their mimicry of Instagram's messages nearly seems real.
Hence, here are some of the warnings users and organizations can keep an eye out for and eventually protect their accounts from being hacked;
1. Use of domains other than the social network's own
2. Dubious font styles (i.e., utilization of screenshots rather than genuine pictures)
3. Incorrect language and punctuation
4. Emails that request credentials; social networks never request them outside of their real, secure login pages
5. Spam filters and Antispam portals.
