News

Instagram Fights Cybercrime With New Security Checkup Feature

Security Checkup is a new Instagram feature that helps users recover accounts which may have been compromised.

Published

5 years ago

July 21, 2021

instagram fights cybercrime with new security checkup feature

From politicians to small business owners to regular users, it’s no secret that Instagrammers from all walks of life are being targeted by cybercriminals. Now, Instagram is finally doing something to increase the security of its users.

On its official blog, the social media giant (Instagram is the fifth largest social network in the world when ranked by the number of active users) has recently announced the launch of a new feature called Security Checkup.

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The purpose of Security Checkup is to guide Instagram users whose accounts may have been hacked through the steps needed to secure them.

“This includes checking login activity, reviewing profile information, confirming the accounts that share login information and updating account recovery contact information such as phone number or email,” explains Instagram.

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Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, which is why Instagram recommends its users to enable two-factor authentication and login request, update their contact information, and report contact and accounts they find questionable.

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Instagram stressed that it never sends direct messages to users. Instead, the social network communicates with its large userbase only via email, and users can see all emails from Instagram in the Emails from Instagram tab in the settings menu.

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Likewise, users should exercise caution when messaging with people they don’t know well, even if their accounts have been verified. “Over the past few months, we’ve seen a rise in malicious accounts DMing people to try and access sensitive information like account passwords,” Instagram clarified.

Also Read: 4 Upcoming WhatsApp Updates You’re Going To Love

While the Security Checkup feature isn’t the solution some users have been hoping for, there’s no doubt that it’s a step in the right direction. Hopefully, Instagram will maintain its focus on cybersecurity and keep increasing the security of its users, helping them defend themselves against cybercriminals.

News

NEOPAY Wants To Follow Merchants Across Channels And Borders

A controlling 65% stake in noon payments would give NEOPAY access to marketplace sellers, online merchants and the payment flows they generate.

Published

1 day ago

October 5, 2026

Nour Nasir

neopay wants to follow merchants across channels and borders

It’s been a long time since checkouts were single defined places. A merchant might take payments at a physical register, on its own website and through an online marketplace, sometimes in more than one country. NEOPAY wants to follow those transactions wherever they happen.

The UAE payments company has entered into an agreement to acquire a 65% controlling stake in noon payments. NEOPAY already runs the acquiring infrastructure that lets merchants accept card payments, along with omnichannel acceptance and a merchant services platform. This new deal would add noon payments’ embedded payments platform, e-commerce gateway and merchant network across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. That would considerably expand both NEOPAY’s digital commerce capabilities and its regional reach.

For merchants, the attraction is a single provider for online and in-store payments, plus faster settlements, data and analytics, and value-added financial services.

“Payments should be simple, reliable, and built for the markets they serve,” said Faraz Khalid, CEO of noon. His counterpart at NEOPAY, Vibhor Mundhada, added: “We have built a strong payments business in the UAE, and our ambition is now to take that capability across the region”. The acquisition, Mundhada added, would “expand our footprint into Saudi Arabia and Egypt” while reinforcing NEOPAY’s position at home.

Also Read: In Kuwait, Your Surgeon Might Be Operating From Another Country

NEOPAY is also keen to point out potential payment volume increases. The company says noon payments’ integrations with marketplace sellers and online merchants create high transaction density in some of the region’s fastest-growing digital commerce segments. It also believes control of the business would give it access to those merchant relationships and payment flows, and speed up the rollout of alternative payment methods and installment options.

The combined roadmap targets faster merchant onboarding, better payment performance, tighter fraud controls and embedded financial services. The deal could also strengthen cross-border payments and settlement along key regional commerce corridors.