If your inbox suddenly shows an Instagram “Reset your password” email you never requested, you are not alone. A wave of unexpected reset messages is hitting people right now, and attackers are betting you will panic, click fast and make a mistake.

Here is the tricky part. Many of these emails are real. They can come directly from Instagram because someone triggered the legitimate password reset flow. That makes the alert feel extra convincing, even when you did nothing wrong.

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FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM ARE USING YOUR DATA TO TRAIN AI: LEARN HOW TO PROTECT IT

Why Instagram password reset emails are surging

This surge is happening because the reset emails themselves can be real, even when the intent behind them is not. Instead of building fake phishing pages or using malware, attackers take advantage of Instagram’s normal account recovery system.

The process is simple. An attacker enters your username or email into Instagram’s real password reset form. Instagram automatically sends a legitimate reset email to you. The attacker then waits to see how you react.

At this point, your account has not been hacked. The risk comes from what happens next. Attackers are counting on common mistakes, such as clicking the reset button and rushing through the process, reusing a weak password, getting redirected to a fake follow-up page or falling for a second scam email that arrives soon after.

That is why this tactic works as a stress test. It creates urgency and pressure, even though nothing has been compromised yet.

Why attackers love this tactic

This is classic social engineering. The attacker does not need to outsmart Instagram. They need to outsmart you in a stressed moment. A reset email creates urgency. It also feels official. That combination leads people to click first and think second, which is exactly the outcome attackers want. You can treat these surprise reset emails as an early warning system. If you get one:

• Someone may know your username or email
• Your account could be on a target list from a leak or scrape
• Your current security setup will decide whether this stays annoying or turns into a takeover

If an email pressures you to act immediately, threatens account deletion or asks for extra information, treat it as suspicious.

The BreachForums leak connection

The timing of this surge has raised fresh concerns. Reports point to data tied to roughly 17.5 million Instagram accounts being shared on BreachForums, an underground forum where cybercriminals trade and discuss stolen data. The alleged post appeared in early January 2026, which lines up with when many users began reporting a sudden wave of password reset emails, sometimes receiving several in a short period of time.

This timing alone does not prove a direct connection. However, leaked usernames or email addresses can make it much easier for attackers to target large numbers of accounts at once, which is exactly what this kind of reset spam depends on. We reached out to Meta for comment but did not receive a response before our deadline. 

We reached out to Meta for comment, and a spokesperson for the company told CyberGuy, “We fixed an issue that allowed an external party to request password reset emails for some Instagram users. We want to reassure everyone there was no breach of our systems and people’s Instagram accounts remain secure. People can disregard these emails and we apologize for any confusion this may have caused.” 

How to tell if the reset email is legitimate

A legitimate Instagram reset email can still be part of an attack attempt. So your goal is not “confirm it is real,” it is “avoid reacting in a risky way.” Instagram’s own guidance boils down to this:

• A reset email alone does not mean your account is compromised
• If you did not request it, do not use the link
• Use Instagram’s official paths in the app to review security and report suspicious messages

Also, if you get emails about changing your account email address, Instagram says those messages can include a way to reverse the change, which can help you recover if someone broke in.

What a real Instagram password reset email looks like

A legitimate reset email usually has these elements:

• Sender: Comes from an official Instagram domain, such as security@mail.instagram.com
• Subject line: Often says “Reset your Instagram password” or “Password reset request”
• Instagram branding: Logo at the top with clean formatting
• Call to action button: A button like “Reset Password”
• Reassurance text: A line explaining that if you did not request this, you can ignore the email and nothing will change
• Safety option: Language telling you how to report the email if you did not initiate it

This is why the current surge is so effective. The emails look normal and arrive from real Instagram systems. 

META ENDS FACT-CHECKING PROGRAM AS ZUCKERBERG VOWS TO RESTORE FREE EXPRESSION ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM

What Instagram reset alerts can look like inside the app

You may also see security messages directly in Instagram, such as:

• Login attempt alerts
• Notifications about a password reset request
• Prompts asking you to confirm a login from a new device

These in-app alerts are generally safer to interact with than email links, especially during a surge.

What scammers rely on

Attackers are counting on one thing: panic. When users see a reset email they did not request, many rush to click before reading the fine print. That fast reaction is what turns a harmless reset request into a real account takeover.

What to do right now if you get a reset email you did not request

So, what should you do if one of these password reset emails lands in your inbox? Take a breath first. Then do this.

1) Do not click the button in the email and use strong antivirus software 

Even if the message looks real, treat it like a hot surface. If you want to change your password, do it from the Instagram app or by typing Instagram’s address into your browser yourself. Strong antivirus software adds another layer of protection here. It can help block malicious links, fake login pages and follow-up scams that often appear during a reset email surge.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

2) Check your Instagram security activity in the app

Open Instagram and look for signs someone tried to log in:

• Unknown devices
• Login alerts you do not recognize
• Changes to email, phone number or linked accounts

If anything looks off, remove the device and update your credentials.

3) Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) and keep it on

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is the biggest roadblock for account takeover. Even if someone knows your password, they still need your code to get in from an unfamiliar device. Instagram has pushed 2FA heavily for higher-risk accounts and urges users to enable it. Use an authenticator app if you can. It is often safer than SMS.

4) Change your password if you feel unsure

If you suspect someone guessed your password, or you reused it elsewhere, change it. Make it long and unique. A password manager can help you generate and store strong passwords without reusing them. Then update the password on your email account too. Your email inbox controls most password resets, so make sure it also uses a strong, unique password.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com/Passwords) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

5) Use a data removal service to reduce targeting

Password reset surges often follow data leaks. When your email address and personal details appear on data broker sites, attackers can target you more easily. A data removal service helps limit where your information shows up online. By shrinking your digital footprint, you reduce the chances of being singled out during large-scale reset email attacks.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

6) Watch for follow-up scams

After a reset surge, criminals often switch tactics. Next, you may see:

• Fake “Instagram Support” emails
• DMs claiming your account will be deleted
• Login approval prompts you did not trigger

Slow down and verify everything inside the app.

Kurt’s key takeaways

A spike in Instagram password reset emails feels scary because it looks like someone is already inside your account. Often, they are not. Still, the surge is a reminder to tighten your basics. Use the app to check security. Turn on two-factor authentication. Change the passwords you reused. Most importantly, do not let an unexpected email rush you into the one click that hands over access.

Have you received an unexpected Instagram password reset email recently, and how did you handle it? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. 

Amazon has announced that the servers for New World: Aeternum, one of the company’s MMOs, will be shut down on January 31st, 2027. The game will also be delisted and no longer available for purchase starting today, January 15th.

Last year, Amazon announced that it would be pivoting away from MMOs to put more of a focus on party games, and the company said at the time that it wouldn’t be releasing new content for New World: Aeternum and that the game’s servers would be active through 2026. But the longer-term future of the game was unclear, and now we know the official day everything will be shut down.

If you have already purchased New World: Aeternum, you can play it until it’s permanently taken offline. The Marks of Fortune in-game currency will be unavailable to purchase starting July 20th, 2026, and Amazon won’t offer refunds for it. And while there’s no new content coming to the game, “we will continue to monitor bugs and performance to ensure the game runs smoothly as things wind down,” Amazon says.

Kodiak AI, a leading provider of AI-powered autonomous driving technology, has spent years quietly proving that self-driving trucks can work in the real world. The company’s core system, the Kodiak Driver, brings software and hardware together in a practical way. As the company explains, “The Kodiak Driver combines advanced AI-driven software with modular, vehicle-agnostic hardware into a single, unified platform.” 

That approach matters because trucking is not a closed lab environment. It is highways, weather, fatigue and long hours. Kodiak’s strategy focuses on solving those realities first.

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How public views on autonomous trucks are changing

During a recent episode of CyberGuy’s “Beyond Connected” podcast, Kurt spoke with Daniel Goff, vice president of external affairs at Kodiak AI, about how attitudes toward autonomous trucks have shifted over time.

WILL AUTONOMOUS TRUCKS REPLACE DRIVERS BY 2027?

Goff described how different the reaction was when the company first launched. “Kodiak was founded in 2018, and I joined in 2019. When I first started at the company, I said I worked for a company that was working to build trucks that drive themselves, and people kind of looked at me like I was crazy. Over the last few years, we’ve really seen autonomous vehicles capture the public’s imagination. We’ve seen them grow in the real world. I think that people are getting more used to this idea.”

For Goff, that shift has come from seeing the technology operate safely outside of test environments, where performance matters more than hype.

Why autonomous trucks could improve road safety

One of Kodiak AI’s central arguments is simple. Machines avoid many of the risks that come with human driving. “We think there are advantages to this technology that humans, myself included, can’t match. You know this technology doesn’t get distracted. It doesn’t check its phone. It doesn’t have a phone. It doesn’t have a bad day to take it out on the road. It doesn’t speed. It doesn’t know how to speed. You know they’re pretty boring drivers.” In trucking, boring is often a good thing.

Where autonomous trucks are already operating today

Kodiak AI is already doing this on real roads. The company has been running active freight routes for years, not just testing in controlled settings. “Kodiak’s headquarters are in Mountainview, California, but since 2019, we’ve had a command center in Lancaster, Texas, which is just south of Dallas. Since 2019, we’ve actually been delivering freight from that Lancaster hub to Houston, Oklahoma City and Atlanta with what we call a safety driver behind the wheel.”

Those real-world miles have helped Kodiak fine-tune its system in everyday traffic, weather and long-haul conditions.

The trucking problem Kodiak is trying to solve

Long-haul trucking is essential to the U.S. economy, but it is also one of the most demanding and risky jobs on the road. Drivers spend long stretches away from home, work extended hours and operate heavy vehicles in all conditions. As Goff put it, “Driving a truck is one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs that people do in the United States every day. You know, being a truck driver means, for at least a long haul truck driver, means you’re away from your family for sometimes days, weeks, even months at a time, sleeping in the back of the truck.”

He also pointed to federal safety rules that limit how long drivers can stay behind the wheel, which are meant to reduce fatigue but also restrict how much freight one person can move in a day. “If you’re driving the 11-hour legal maximum per day and there are people who love being long-haul truckers, but we’re not seeing people stepping up for those roles anymore in this country, and drivers are retiring every year.”

Those realities have contributed to ongoing driver shortages and growing pressure on the freight system. Kodiak believes autonomous technology is best used where the job is hardest and most repetitive. “The goal for this technology is really best suited for those really tough jobs. The long lonely highway miles, the trucking and remote locations where people either don’t wanna live or don’t or can’t easily live.”

Goff also highlighted how much capacity is lost simply because trucks sit idle for most of the day. “The average truck is driven about seven hours a day in the US, and you know there are 24 hours a day, so that’s a lot of time just sitting there.”

Autonomy, he said, could help change that math. “The goal of the technology is that you can basically run 24/7, just kind of stopping to refuel, to inspect the truck for safety, and you know, other than that, the trucks are moving.”

How many miles Kodiak AI has driven to prove safety

Kodiak AI emphasizes data over promises. “We’ve driven over 3 million miles with a safety driver behind the wheel for most of those miles, meaning somebody ready to take over at any time. So, we got a very good track record.” To put that into perspective, Goff added, “The average American drives about 800,000 miles in their lifetime, which seems crazy. That’s a lot of driving, but we’re at almost 4 average lifetimes with our system today, and we also use computer simulation, all sorts of things to assess the safety of the system.”

In addition to its long-haul operations, Kodiak AI works with Atlas Energy Solutions, which does oil logistics in the Permian Basin of West Texas and eastern New Mexico. As of Q3 2025, the company has delivered 10 driverless trucks to Atlas, which autonomously deliver sand up to 24 hours a day with no human operator in the cab. Goff says, “We see our work in the Permian as a perfect sandbox for our long-haul operations.”

The company has also sought third-party validation. “Additionally, we have done external-facing studies. We did a study with a company called Nauto, which is one of the leaders in AI-enabled dashcams. They actually help vehicle fleets compute safety scores from an outside perspective. Our system scored the highest ever in the Nauto safety score.”

THE ROAD TO PROSPERITY WILL BE PAVED BY AUTONOMOUS TRUCKING

Where autonomous truck regulations stand today

Policy is another key factor in adoption. “From a regulatory perspective. 25 states have passed laws allowing autonomous vehicle deployment.” Goff believes the danger of everyday driving makes the case clear. “I think people who think about transportation every day understand how dangerous driving a car is, driving a truck is, and just being on the road see the potential for this technology.”

What critics say about autonomous trucks

Autonomous trucking still raises concerns among safety advocates and everyday drivers. Critics question whether software can respond fast enough in emergencies, handle unpredictable human behavior or make judgment calls during complex highway situations.

Kodiak AI says those concerns are exactly why safety comes first. As Goff explained, “In this industry in particular, we really understand how important it is to be safe.”

The company argues that autonomous systems must earn trust over time through real-world performance, transparent testing and measurable results, not promises or hype.

What this means to you

For everyday drivers, autonomous trucks raise understandable questions. Sharing the road with a vehicle controlled by software can feel unsettling, especially when headlines often focus on what could go wrong. Kodiak’s argument is that safety improves when fatigue, distraction and emotional decision-making are removed from long highway driving. If the technology continues to perform as claimed, the impact could show up in quieter ways. That includes fewer tired drivers on overnight routes, more predictable freight movement and potentially safer highways over time. For consumers, it could also mean fewer delivery delays and less strain on a trucking system already short on drivers.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Autonomous trucking is not a future concept anymore. Kodiak AI is already moving freight and collecting real safety data on public roads. At the same time, skepticism remains healthy and necessary. Trust in this technology will rise or fall based on transparency, regulation and long-term performance, not promises. The real question is no longer whether self-driving trucks can operate. It is whether they can consistently prove they make roads safer for everyone who shares them.

Would you trust autonomous trucks more if they could show a better safety record than human drivers over time? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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