Instagram Adds Security Feature To Fight Hackers

A two-factor authentication feature has been recently added to image sharing network, Instagram, in a bid to offer enhanced protection to users against hackers.

The photo sharing app has been previously criticized for lacking such feature is a standard in most social media platforms. With 400 million-strong user base that includes famous brands and celebrities, pundits think that the two-factor authentication is long overdue for Instagram. Its parent company Facebook rolled out the two-factor option four years ago. For Instagram users with very large following, a hacked account can screw public reputation up big time.

According to a report by Gizmodo, the two-factor authentication process works this way: if a potential hacker attempts to get in to your account using the registered email and password, an authentication code sent to the verified phone number on the account.

This commonly offered security tool adds a protective layer in case email and password gets leaked out or stolen. Currently, the security option only involves password verification. So far, some users have already noticed buggy tests carried out by Instagram before rolling it out in full as mentioned in an article by Tech Crunch.

According to an Instagram spokesperson as confirmed in report by Wired, the image sharing service shall introduce the security feature in phased roll out. No additional details have been provided regarding the full release of the two-factor option as of press time.

While the two factor authentication is of great help for security-conscious users, the account's ultimate defense still lies with the users' mindfulness.