How To Protect Instagram Account From Being Hacked

Instagram hack has been on the increase and many people are losing their hard built accounts with a lot of followers. Getting hacked on Instagram is a great loss especially when you are a business that drives sales through Instagram.

A hacked account is forever lost to the hacker. In late 2018, over 500 users reported receiving a mail that their email accounts associated with their Instagram account have been changed.

The hackers managed to get unauthorized access to the victim’s account and changed their emails connected to Instagram. Instagram hack has been a headache to its users and a lot of people are wondering how to protect their accounts from being hacked.

So what can you do to protect your Instagram account from being hacked? In the below post, I will show you some important approaches to take when your account gets compromised and how to secure it.

Immediate Actions To Take If Your Instagram Account Gets Hacked

In early 2019, Instagram rolled out a new security feature called “my login info isn’t working” under the login button of the login page. If a hacker changes your password, you can use this option to gain control over your account.

Steps to follow to gain access to your Instagram account when hacked using the new security function (my login info isn’t working):

Option 1

1. Press “my login info isn’t working” button if your password stops functioning.
2. Type in your email or phone number associated with Instagram. Instagram will then send you a new 6 digit code for an account reset to allow you to regain access to your account.

By following the above steps, your account will be recovered and ready for use. However, whenever someone logs in your account indirectly without your consent, Instagram automatically sends you a confirmation address to confirm it’s you.

If you receive an email from Instagram alerting you of a Login or an email change which you are not aware of, click on the “revert this change” within the same email. This will help you recover your account.

Most at times too, your account might be hacked but still, you are able to login to the account and perform your usual activities. Once you realize a change in your account usage, immediately change your account password to a more difficult one.

5 Hints To Protect Your Instagram Account From Being Hacked

1. Use a Strong Password – Hackers easily break lose passwords. Using a weak password can easily be broken or cracked. “Have I been Pawned” is a website used to check if your password has been stolen. A strong password is a password with a combination of six letters (capital and small), numbers, and punctuation marks. Security experts suggest a minimum of not less than eight characters.
2. Two-Factor Authentication – Instagram has the option to enable two-factor authentication (2FA). With 2FA enabled, whenever you log in to your Instagram account, you will be asked to provide an SMS security code sent to your mobile number.
3. Secured Email Account – Using an unsecured email account is like opening your door to thieves at night when sleeping. Your email is what you use for most of your social networks including Instagram. Hackers attack your email first, so it’s advisable to secure your email by using a strong password and 2FA.
4. Revoke Access To Suspicious Third-Party Apps – Some third-party apps serve as a gateway for hackers to take over your Instagram account. Check and see to it that all third-party apps that have been given permission to access your Instagram are following the Term of Use of Instagram. If you notice any suspicious app, don’t hesitate to revoke its access.
5. Logout of Instagram anytime you use a public device or shared device to log in to your account. This will help protect your account by falling into the wrong hands.

Conclusion

People are losing their accounts to hackers day by day. Instagram hack is on the rise as the day goes by. In this article, I have provided some immediate actions to take when your Instagram account gets hacked and also shared important hints to protect your Instagram account.