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The Instagram tool allowing users to download a copy of their data from the social media platform presented a security breach resulting in accidental leakage of plain text passwords.
In April, Instagram, owned by Facebook, has deployed a tool for downloading your data that sends users a file containing all the images, comments and other information that they have shared on the platform. This feature has been deployed to comply with new data privacy regulations in Europe and to address privacy concerns of users around the world as part of Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Unfortunately, the Download Your Data Tool contained a security issue that also passed users their passwords in plain text in the URL, reported The Information. In addition, for some reason, passwords were also stored on Facebook's servers, although they have since been deleted.
The security problem of the Download Your Data tool, which has already been solved, has only touched a "small number of people," a spokesman told The Information. However, their Instagram passwords could be exposed to those users if they were using a shared computer or they were using a compromised network. If they use the same password on other websites or applications, then the security problem becomes a bigger problem.
Instagram has sent notifications to users affected by the vulnerability. Therefore, those who have not been contacted should not fear that their passwords are compromised. However, for all Instagram users who have recently used the Download Your Data tool, changing your password or enabling two-factor authentication would not hurt, just to be sure.
The recently exposed bug follows a strange Instagram hack that occurred in August that locked platform users due to changes to their account information, including their password, mobile phone number, and address. electronic. In many cases, emails related to compromised accounts have been changed to Russian emails. Accounts, however, have not shared new images, nor deleted old ones.
Instagram hacks come in many different forms and users will need to take specific actions to get their Instagram accounts. Here is a guide on what to do if you find yourself suddenly an intruder on Instagram, so you can recover your account.
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