India, Jan. 11 -- Last week, several Instagram users reported receiving unexpected password reset emails, sparking concerns of a possible data breach. On Friday, cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes claimed the activity was linked to a breach in which data associated with 17.5 million Instagram users worldwide had been exposed.

According to Malwarebytes, the allegedly leaked information included usernames, physical addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses.

"Cybercriminals stole the sensitive information of 17.5 million Instagram accounts, including usernames, physical addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and more," Malwarebytes claimed. "This data is available for sale on the dark web and can be abused by cybercriminals."

Amid th...