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Spam Observed from Hacked Instagram A/Cs for Dating Web-links


According to security researchers, there has been profuse spam during the recent months from hijacked Instagram accounts utilized for producing bulk adult dating e-mails for revenue earning.

Apparently, a connection exists between this spam scheme and a different outbreak of hijacked Twitter accounts from where web-links leading onto porn and dating sites are posted. Symantec wrote this on a blog post dated August 10, 2016.

During the beginning time of 2016, the above trend revealed itself as one severe problem when Symantec observed a rise in the total aggregate of false accounts that boosted porn.

Certainly with jeopardized security, Instagram has been pressurized for enhancing its accountholders' safety after it encountered several unwanted incidents of massive spam attacks during 2015. During February, the website touting photo-sharing incorporated the dual-factor validation into its service though yet under experimentation but which if effective could foil the greater number of such A/C hacking cases implying that Web-surfers would get validation of a twin type of identifications prior to logging into their account. Techweekeurope.co.uk posted this, August 10, 2016.

Generally, according to Symantec, the web-link to an account profile as well as the additional web-links included that lead onto nude pictures which hackers posted divert onto dating websites that tell end-users to complete survey questionnaires followed with submitting their response. The web-links all have affiliate IDs that yield revenue to the cyber-criminals piggy-backing on end-users' clicking through these URLs.

Several traits the hacked profiles displayed comprised a reconstructed user ID, a profile picture not the usual one, some other profile name, some other profile bio, fresh photos added, and altered profile links.

Symantec states that the hacker altered the actual password for each-and-every hacked account; consequently, a few accountholders couldn't anymore access their A/Cs; surrendered control of their profile to construct one afresh, while letting the actual be in the hacker's regulation.

It isn't clear what way the hackers compromised the accounts, however, researchers indicate possibly they were acquired from earlier password leakages pertaining to websites where end-users used the same password for those other accounts.

A 2F-authentication is recommended for users so their accounts can escape compromise.

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