Earlier this year, Instagram launched a new feature that would allow users to download their data.
The idea behind this feature is that users can download all the information they have published on Instagram such as photos, videos, profile information and more, to use them as a backup copy in case your account has been hacked.
However, according to a report by The Information, a security breach could have exposed users’ passwords. Apparently, when some users use the function, the password of their accounts is sent in plain text in the URL, which is a problem, since others can detect it.
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According to Instagram, this bug only affected a small number of people, although this can be a problem if, for example those users used a shared computer in which another person who uses it later could retrieve that information.
While this seems to have been a relatively minor security problem, it’s not the only security issue Facebook (which owns Instagram) has had to deal with in recent months. Let’s hope it’s not a sign of something more serious in the Instagram code.
If you have not received any notification or email, it means that your account is secure. However, if you prefer not to take that risk, it might not be a bad idea to update passwords or enable two-factor authentication.
