• Trend Micro
  • About TrendLabs Security Intelligence Blog
Search:
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Ransomware
    • Vulnerabilities
    • Exploits
    • Targeted Attacks
    • Deep Web
    • Mobile
    • Internet of Things
    • Malware
    • Bad Sites
    • Spam
    • Botnets
    • Social
    • Open source
Home   »   instagram

How a Hacking Group is Stealing Popular Instagram Profiles

  • Posted on:February 28, 2019 at 5:18 am
  • Posted in:Bad Sites, Social, Spam
  • Author:
    Trend Micro
0

Social media influencers build and expand their business or brand through credibility and authenticity to their audience. For hackers, however, they could be seen as trophies. That’s what happened to a photographer with more than 15,000 followers on Instagram, when she had her account stolen.

A closer look into the incident revealed that the hacker got into her account through phishing. While it seemed straightforward enough, we also found that targeting popular Instagram profiles has become a modus for a certain group of Turkish-speaking hackers. And by abusing Instagram’s account recovery process, they were able to keep the stolen account even if the victim squarely followed the process.  We’ve seen cases where owners of Instagram profiles with followers between 15,000 and 70,000 were hacked and were never retrieved. The victims ranged from famous actors and singers to owners of startup businesses like photoshoot equipment rentals.

Read More
Tags: instagramphishing

From Fame to Shame: Busting the “Free Followers” Myth in Social Media

  • Posted on:August 1, 2013 at 8:37 am
  • Posted in:Bad Sites, Social
  • Author:
    Karla Agregado (Fraud Analyst)
0

In continuing our research on scams that offer free followers to Instagram users, we found out that similar services for other social networks are also available online. Among those that we found is this particular Russian site that comes off as a one-stop-shop for those looking to purchase followers, likes, retweets, and other activities for…

Read More
Tags: Facebookfree followersGoogleinstagramsocial media scamsTwitter

Scam Sites Now Selling Instagram Followers

  • Posted on:June 25, 2013 at 2:50 am
  • Posted in:Bad Sites, Social
  • Author:
    Karla Agregado (Fraud Analyst)
0

Another scam site is offering to increase a user’s Instagram followers. Unlike previous attacks, however, these sites require payment – with the amount depending on the number of followers you prefer. Figure 1. Pricelist for Instagram followers Despite the site’s liberal use of the Instagram logo, it has nothing to do with the service. It…

Read More
Tags: instagramscam sitessocial media

Get Free Followers! on Instagram? Get Free Malware, Survey Scams Instead

  • Posted on:May 16, 2013 at 11:35 am
  • Posted in:Mobile
  • Author:
    Karla Agregado (Fraud Analyst)
0

The popular photosharing app Instagram is the latest social networking site targeted by the ubiquitous survey scams seen on Facebook and Twitter. This time, we found that these survey scams may also lead users to download an Android malware. I found the following accounts who wanted to ‘follow’ me on Instagram. This is the standard…

Read More
Tags: androidinstagramsurvey scams

Facebook Spam Leverages, Abuses Instagram App

  • Posted on:December 10, 2012 at 10:26 am
  • Posted in:Bad Sites
  • Author:
    Ruby Santos (Fraud Analyst)
2

The downside of popularity is that cybercriminals tend to abuse it for their own nefarious ends. Case in point, social networking sites have been often used to proliferate malware. Just recently, we spotted a Facebook clickjacking attack that leverages and abuses Instagram to point users to malicious websites. Users encounter this threat by being tagged…

Read More
Tags: clickjackingFacebookinstagram
Page 1 of 212

Security Predictions for 2020

  • Cybersecurity in 2020 will be viewed through many lenses — from differing attacker motivations and cybercriminal arsenal to technological developments and global threat intelligence — only so defenders can keep up with the broad range of threats.
    Read our security predictions for 2020.

Business Process Compromise

  • Attackers are starting to invest in long-term operations that target specific processes enterprises rely on. They scout for vulnerable practices, susceptible systems and operational loopholes that they can leverage or abuse. To learn more, read our Security 101: Business Process Compromise.

Popular Posts

Sorry. No data so far.

Stay Updated

  • Home and Home Office
  • |
  • For Business
  • |
  • Security Intelligence
  • |
  • About Trend Micro
  • Asia Pacific Region (APAC): Australia / New Zealand, 中国, 日本, 대한민국, 台灣
  • Latin America Region (LAR): Brasil, México
  • North America Region (NABU): United States, Canada
  • Europe, Middle East, & Africa Region (EMEA): France, Deutschland / Österreich / Schweiz, Italia, Россия, España, United Kingdom / Ireland
  • Privacy Statement
  • Legal Policies
  • Copyright © Trend Micro Incorporated. All rights reserved.