Instagram Fixes Issue That Resulted in Password Reset Emails Being Sent

Instagram has confirmed that it has addressed an issue which saw password reset emails being sent by the company recently.

On X (formerly Twitter), Instagram reveals that it has “fixed an issue that let an external party request password reset emails for some people.” The company also confirmed that there has been no breach of its systems, despite an external party request being the root cause of the issue.

Unfortunately, the company hasn’t detailed what exactly causes many users to receive an email requesting a password change. Speaking anecdotally, last week, a mysterious request email appeared in my inbox late at night. I was among many other who recieved an authentic-looking email from Instagram.

Over the weekend, Malwarebytes reported that the information of 17.5 million Instagram accounts had been leaked onto the dark web. It’s said that emails, addresses, phone numbers and usernames were made available as part of this leak. Instagram’s statement regarding the breach appears to contradict the recent claim.

Without Instagram providing additional details on the issue, it’s hard to gauge the impact this has had on the massive user base. If anything, this is another reminder of how important it is to utilize tools like two-factor authentication to secure your online accounts.