A massive breach exposed data of 17.5M Instagram users (Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs)

Since January 10, 2026, a million users have received password reset emails, sparking confusion and fears of a global cyberattack. Security experts warn this is a serious privacy breach with real-world risks, and affected data may already be circulating on the dark web. The researchers found a sensitive database for sale on a cybercrime forum, described as a “doxxing kit” affecting nearly 18 million Instagram users. Unlike past data scrapes, this leak includes physical home addresses linked to Instagram user IDs.

A massive breach exposed data of 17.5M Instagram users