Instagram Account Hijacking Continues Despite Meta’s Security Update: How To Protect Yourself

Instagram users may need to be a little more careful right now. A security issue that was reportedly being used by hackers to take over Instagram accounts appears to still be causing trouble, despite Meta saying the vulnerability has already been fixed. The issue first surfaced after reports claimed attackers were able to misuse Meta AI’s support system to change the email address linked to an Instagram account. Once the email was replaced, gaining control of the account reportedly became much easier. Meta later acknowledged the problem and said it had taken steps to resolve it. However, fresh reports suggest some users are still experiencing account takeovers.What Is The Instagram Security Issue?According to reports, attackers discovered a way

to interact with Meta AI's support tools using simple text prompts. The exploit allegedly allowed them to modify the recovery email associated with a target Instagram account.Once control of the recovery email was established, hackers could potentially reset passwords and lock legitimate users out of their accounts.The US-based tech giant later stated that the issue had been fixed. Meta's Vice President of Communications, Andy Stone, said the company had addressed the vulnerability and was working to secure affected accounts.Users Claim The Problem Has Not Fully DisappearedDespite Meta's assurance, several users have reported that account compromises are still occurring. Reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong claimed that one of their secondary Instagram accounts was hijacked despite having two-factor authentication enabled. Wong also alleged that the password for their primary account was changed without authorisation.According to reports cited by Android Authority, similar complaints emerged from multiple users after Meta announced the issue had been resolved.Among those reporting problems was Esther Crawford, former Director of Product Management at Twitter/X and currently a Director of Product Management at Meta, who said her Instagram handle had also been compromised.Responding to concerns on X, Stone said Meta had "already secured impacted accounts" and was "working to restore access to affected individuals." He added that some users may receive password reset notifications, while others could be asked additional security questions during login.How To Protect YourselfWhile there is currently no confirmed way to completely eliminate the risk, security experts recommend taking a few precautions:

• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

• Use a strong and unique password

• Avoid reusing passwords across multiple platforms

• You should regularly review your login activity and connected devices

• Do change your password immediately if you notice anything unusual