At least one hacker was able to steal phone numbers and email addresses attached to celebrity accounts by exploiting a glitch in Instagram’s system, according to the Facebook-owned photo sharing company.
An Instagram representative said the bug has now been fixed and that the account holders who may have been affected were notified. The representative declined to say which accounts — or how many — were compromised.
“We recently discovered that one or more individuals obtained unlawful access to a number of high-profile Instagram users’ contact information — specifically email address and phone number — by exploiting a bug in an Instagram API,” the company said in a statement to Variety. Instagram did not immediately return NBC News’ request for comment.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Related: Data Breach Exposes 700 Million Email Addresses — And Some Passwords
While the bug has been fixed, it’s a reminder of the importance of maintaining a strong password and turning on two-factor authentication. The extra step sends a code to the account holder’s phone when they’re logging on. Once they enter that code into Instagram, they’ll be able to log in to their account.
Instagram’s disclosure also comes the same week Selena Gomez, the most followed person on Instagram, apparently had her account compromised by someone who posted private photos of her ex-boyfriend, Justin Bieber. Her account was briefly taken down on Monday and then restored.