Hackers Used Meta's AI Support Bot to Seize Instagram Accounts
Hackers exploited Meta's AI customer support bot to reset passwords and hijack high-value Instagram accounts, including those of prominent U.S. government entities. Meta has since patched the vulnerability, which allowed attackers to link accounts to new email addresses via the automated support flow.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the security risks associated with deploying AI-driven customer support tools without robust verification protocols, potentially exposing high-profile accounts to unauthorized access.
The Instagram accounts for the Obama White House and the Chief Master Sergeant of the U.S. Space Force were briefly defaced with pro-Iranian images and messages over the weekend, after instructions began circulating on Telegram showing how to trick Meta s AI support assistant bot into resetting account passwords.
The article reports on a technical security failure using factual accounts from security researchers and Meta's own statements.
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