Goodbye, dark Telegram: Blocks are pushing the underground out https://securelist.com/goodbye-dark-telegram/118286/
Telegram has won over users worldwide, and cybercriminals are no exception. While the average user chooses a messaging app based on convenience, user experience and stability (and perhaps, cool stickers), cybercriminals evaluate platforms through a different lens.
When it comes to anonymity, privacy and application independence – essential criteria for a shadow messaging app – Telegram is not as strong as its direct competitors.
It lacks default end-to-end (E2E) encryption for chats.
It has a centralized infrastructure: users cannot set up their own servers
for communication. Its server-side code is closed: users cannot verify what it does.
Key findings: The median lifespan of a shadow Telegram channel increased from five months in 2021–2022 to nine months in 2023–2024. The frequency of blocking cybercrime channels has been growing since October 2024. Cybercriminals have been migrating to other messaging services due to frequent blocks by Telegram.
