If you’re someone who frequently uses the Instagram app on their iOS device to snap and share photos, it might be worth noting that according to a researcher, there is apparently a vulnerability within the app that will grant hackers access to your account, take over it and even delete your photos if they choose to. Apparently this is due to the way the app authenticates itself with the Instagram servers, through the use of unencrypted cookies to confirm your account info with the Instagram servers. What this means is that if you were to use Instagram while hooked to an unsecure network, such as a public WiFi, whoever controls that WiFi access point can in theory grab that cookie, which in turn can be used to access your account by connecting with Instagram’s servers.
The researcher who found the security holes has reportedly reached out to Instagram to inform them of it, but it seems that it has been about a month now and there has not been any word from Instagram over the matter, let alone an update that will fix the security hole. It is unclear if the Android version is similarly affected, or if there are any reports of users who have had their accounts hacked over this problem, but it is something worth noting nonetheless.