The Solonik Leak: 17.5 Million Instagram Profiles Exposed on Dark Web

According to Malwarebytes, the Solonik leak has compromised approximately 17.5 million Instagram users, with the database now offered for sale on illicit marketplaces and being actively traded on subterranean forums. The dataset reportedly contains usernames, email addresses, telephonic records, and partial physical addresses, making victims vulnerable to identity theft and targeted phishing campaigns.

The purveyor operates under the pseudonym “Solonik,” and claims the information was harvested in the waning months of 2024 via public APIs and regional sources. Instagram users have begun receiving genuine password reset notifications, a sign that adversaries are attempting account hijacking using the leaked data. Meta issued an official communique via X, stating there was no breach of their systems and that Instagram accounts remain secure. Analysts emphasise that exposure of emails and phone numbers enables precise phishing that impersonates Instagram or Meta representatives.