Apple, Google remove InstaAgent app after password-stealing malware detected

This is the joy of the war against malware.

Both Apple and Google have removed the InstaAgent app from their respective app stores after it was discovered that the app was storing users’ Instagram usernames and passwords in an unencrypted form, before sending them on to unknown servers.

InstaAgent, which tied in with Instagram, had become a popular download in the App Store’s free software section.

Google responded quickly to the revelation, removing the app from its Play Store, but Apple took a little longer to kill any mention of InstaAgent from the App Store, finally removing it a few hours after the first tweets indicated its malicious intentions. While Instagram warns against using third-party apps to access your profile for precisely this reason, InstaAgent promised extra features for its users, including the ability to see who was viewing your profile.

Following the removal of InstaAgent, it’s been recommended that Instagram users change their passwords as soon as possible.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

Via The Verge and David L-R’s Twitter account