49 Million Instagram Database Breached
Hackers Hacked OGUsers (a forum for stolen social network accounts)
There are 49 Million Instagram Database breached including celebrities and companies accounts and its huge in number. Accounts were breached including email ID, bio, profile and contact number including the number of followers and location.
The Security Researcher Anurag Sen found the database as reported to TechCrunch.
TechCrunch traced the database back to Mumbai-based social media marketing firm Chtrbox, which pays influencers to post sponsored content on their accounts. Each record in the database contained a record that calculated the worth of each account, based off the number of followers, engagement, reach, likes and shares they had. This was used as a metric to determine how much the company could pay an Instagram celebrity or influencer to post an ad.
Many of the celebrities and branding companies get paid for sponsored posts on Instagram. When TechCrunch contacted to celebrities they denied to be part of the Chtrbox. The database has been offline by Chtrbox.
Facebook gives the statement about this matter,
“We’re looking into the issue to understand if the data described – including email and phone numbers – was from Instagram or from other sources. We’re also inquiring with Chtrbox to understand where this data came from and how it became publicly available.”
Also Read – Instagram Hacked Many Of The User Accounts Hijacked
A Forum Hacked
Secondly, According to Vice a forum OGUSERS, where cybercriminals trade stolen social network accounts like Instagram and Twitter accounts were apparently hacked.
“More unfortunate news,” the administrator, who goes by Ace (a forum username), wrote. “It appears someone was able to breach the server through a custom plugin in the forum software and get access to an old backup dating December 26, 2018.”
“OGUsers has been online close to 3 years now and this the first time any breach has occurred. I do understand everyone’s frustration and I am deeply sorry this has all happened recently. You must realize other sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, Forums you have used in the past, and many more have been breached at least once. People are targeting the site 365 days a year,” Ace wrote. “Again, I am deeply sorry this occurred and I will do my best to make sure it never happens again.”
Conclusion
Overall our data is not safe on social network websites including Facebook and Instagram. As we have the heard news earlier, Instagram founders left Facebook after clashes with Mark Zuckerberg.
