Instagram and telegram database leak downlowad link

1. What the reporting actually documents

Multiple security outlets trace the Instagram material to a dataset posted on BreachForums on January 7, 2026 and then republished or traded in Telegram channels and onion forums; Malwarebytes and others reported the leak and labeled it as containing contact information and identifiers for about 17.5 million accounts ^{[2] [3] [5]}. Researchers and trackers describe the format as JSON/CSV suitable for credential‑stuffing tools and note waves of password‑reset emails that prompted alarm among users and defenders ^{[4] [5]}.

2. Origins and context: scraping vs. combined data

Reporting repeatedly distinguishes this incident from a pure API scrape, suggesting the 2026 posting may re‑use or augment data collected during the 2024 Instagram API exposure and combine it with external datasets (marketing lists, brokered records) to attach names and addresses to Instagram IDs — a technique that inflates the apparent sensitivity of a list of handles ^{[6] [3]}. Several outlets say the dump is described by sellers as a "doxxing kit" and that attackers likely matched Instagram identifiers against other databases to enrich records ^[3].

3. Telegram's role and precedent

Telegram is repeatedly referenced as a distribution channel for stolen data: contemporary reports say Telegram channels are being used to circulate the Instagram dataset, and past incidents show Telegram‑linked “stealer” log aggregations have produced millions of credentials before — Have I Been Pwned documents 26M emails collected from malicious Telegram channels in 2024 — establishing a pattern of Telegram being used to trade stolen harvests ^{[4] [7]}. Older, unrelated Telegram data exposures also exist, but those incidents were different in cause and vintage ^[8].

4. Why journalists will not republish download links

All cited sources show the dataset is being sold or shared in criminal forums ^{[2] [4] [3]}. Publishing or linking to that material would facilitate wrongdoing, risk legal exposure, and endanger people whose data is in the files; consequently responsible reporting and security advisories avoid providing direct download links and instead document the leak, attribution attempts, and defensive guidance for affected users ^{[5] [9]}. No reputable outlet cited in the reporting provided a public download URL.

5. How users and defenders are being advised to respond

Security writeups and news pieces recommend urgent defensive moves: enable 2‑factor authentication, change and strengthen passwords, monitor for phishing attempts and account‑takeover indicators, and treat unsolicited password reset emails as suspicious — these are the practical mitigations reported alongside the leak coverage ^{[5] [2] [9]}. At the time of the coverage, Meta/Instagram had not issued an exhaustive public statement addressing the specific 17.5M reports, according to multiple outlets noting a lack of formal comment ^{[1] [9]}.

6. Uncertainties, motivations and media dynamics

Key uncertainties remain in public reporting: whether the dataset is primarily a repackaged 2024 scrape, how many records are unique vs. merged from other sources, and the exact provenance ^{[6] [3]}. Different outlets emphasize different angles — some stress immediate risk to influencers and exposed addresses, others highlight the market economics that make credential‑stuffing more common once data is widely available ^{[4] [3]}. Some coverage may tilt toward sensationalism by citing maximum figures without fully disclosing methods of aggregation; readers and responders should weigh that when interpreting claims ^{[1] [2]}.

Final note: while the reporting documents active circulation of the Instagram dataset via criminal channels and references Telegram as a distribution medium, this account does not provide or link to any illicit downloads; instead, it synthesizes what the cited security reporting and trackers document and points readers to action steps and cautions reflected in those sources ^{[4] [5] [2]}.