Telegram Surpasses 100 Million Users
Telegram, a messaging app launched by Russian Pavel Durov less than three years ago, has passed 100 million monthly active users, the company announced this week.
Revealing the figure during a keynote at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Durov also said that the service is now signing up 350,000 new users each day.
Topic: Gadget for private communication - page 4. (Read 1519 times)
Telegram seems almost identical to WhatsApp, but it claims to be a much safer app. Is it true? Security experts and Telegram’s developers tell us what they think.
By now, you’ve probably heard of Telegram Messenger, the chat and messaging app developed by the founders of VK, Russia’s largest social network. Its icon, a paper airplane on a blue background, symbolizes freedom of communication– Telegram was launched in August 2013 during the NSA hacking scandal, when Edward Snowden, now in exile in Russia, revealed the agency’s secrets.
By now, you’ve probably heard of Telegram Messenger, the chat and messaging app developed by the founders of VK, Russia’s largest social network. Its icon, a paper airplane on a blue background, symbolizes freedom of communication– Telegram was launched in August 2013 during the NSA hacking scandal, when Edward Snowden, now in exile in Russia, revealed the agency’s secrets.
Bots are taking over our messaging apps.
Last week, at its F8 developer conference, Facebook revealed the first wave of Bots for Messenger. These automated, interactive programs respond to natural language and allow users to shop, order food, read the news and get personalized weather forecasts — all without leaving the Messenger app.
Separately, messaging app Kik also revealed its bot store, while Slack and Telegram have been experimenting with bots for some time. Microsoft also made a big push for bots at its Build 2016 conference, introducing developer tools for creating bots for Skype and other Microsoft services.
Last week, at its F8 developer conference, Facebook revealed the first wave of Bots for Messenger. These automated, interactive programs respond to natural language and allow users to shop, order food, read the news and get personalized weather forecasts — all without leaving the Messenger app.
Separately, messaging app Kik also revealed its bot store, while Slack and Telegram have been experimenting with bots for some time. Microsoft also made a big push for bots at its Build 2016 conference, introducing developer tools for creating bots for Skype and other Microsoft services.
The founder of chat app Telegram has publicly claimed that feds pressured the company to weaken its encryption or install a backdoor.
"During our team's 1-week visit to the US last year we had two attempts to bribe our devs by US agencies + pressure on me from the FBI," Pavel Durov said on Twitter. "It would be naive to think you can run an independent/secure cryptoapp based in the US," he added.
Durov's comments follow earlier unsubstantiated claims that arch-rival Signal was compromised.
"The encryption of Signal (=WhatsApp, FB) was funded by the US Government. I predict a backdoor will be found there within 5 years from now," Durov claimed.
"During our team's 1-week visit to the US last year we had two attempts to bribe our devs by US agencies + pressure on me from the FBI," Pavel Durov said on Twitter. "It would be naive to think you can run an independent/secure cryptoapp based in the US," he added.
Durov's comments follow earlier unsubstantiated claims that arch-rival Signal was compromised.
"The encryption of Signal (=WhatsApp, FB) was funded by the US Government. I predict a backdoor will be found there within 5 years from now," Durov claimed.
Cyber thugs have been exploiting a zero-day flaw in the Telegram Messenger desktop app in order to mine for cryptocurrencies or to install a backdoor to remotely control victims’ computers.
Kaspersky Lab discovered “in the wild” attacks on Telegram Messenger’s Windows desktop client back in October 2017. The vulnerability in the popular Telegram app had been actively exploited since March 2017 to mine a variety of cryptocurrencies, such as Monero, Zcash, Fantomcoin and others.
Kaspersky Lab discovered “in the wild” attacks on Telegram Messenger’s Windows desktop client back in October 2017. The vulnerability in the popular Telegram app had been actively exploited since March 2017 to mine a variety of cryptocurrencies, such as Monero, Zcash, Fantomcoin and others.
Telegram users should be aware the messaging app's "Secret Chats" may not be so secret after all.
Zuk Avraham, founder and CTO of mobile security company Zimperium, created private messages using Telegram's Secret Chat feature and tried to see if he could find unencrypted copies of the message elsewhere. He uncovered a number of issues with how Telegram handled these messages. Telegram is a free cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging app for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X which lets you send encrypted messages, photos, videos, and file of any type (including .zip, .doc, .mp3, and others) to other Telegram users.
Zuk Avraham, founder and CTO of mobile security company Zimperium, created private messages using Telegram's Secret Chat feature and tried to see if he could find unencrypted copies of the message elsewhere. He uncovered a number of issues with how Telegram handled these messages. Telegram is a free cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging app for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X which lets you send encrypted messages, photos, videos, and file of any type (including .zip, .doc, .mp3, and others) to other Telegram users.
Chances are that if you use Facebook today (and those chances are high because Facebook just passed over 2 billion active users), you have heard all the hype about the Facebook Messenger App and concerns over Facebook Messenger privacy. Users are now being forced to download the separate Facebook Messenger App if they want to use messaging through the Facebook app itself for mobile. Not only is that a burden, but Facebook asks for more permissions than the average app in order for you to be able to download the app and, let’s be honest, the permissions are a little frightening when you start looking into them.
Agencies (Qasioun) - Telegram's messaging app is better known for its security than catering to Snapchat fans, but it's blurring those lines. The company has updated its mobile apps with support for disappearing photos and videos in any private chat. All you have to do is set a timer for your media and it'll vanish. If the recipient gets sneaky and takes a screenshot, you'll know right away. In short: much as with services like Snapchat or iMessage, you shouldn't have to worry that a sensitive pic will leak to the public.
The upgrade also brings faster media in some cases. If you're part of a very large channel with 100,000 or more members, Telegram will lean on a distributed content network to speed up your downloads wherever you happen to be. And if you use stickers, you can expand the scrolling area to pick just the right image to make your point. None of these additions will sway you if you're well-entrenched in another social app, but they may give you fewer reasons to switch away.
The upgrade also brings faster media in some cases. If you're part of a very large channel with 100,000 or more members, Telegram will lean on a distributed content network to speed up your downloads wherever you happen to be. And if you use stickers, you can expand the scrolling area to pick just the right image to make your point. None of these additions will sway you if you're well-entrenched in another social app, but they may give you fewer reasons to switch away.
WhatsApp and Telegram accounts can be hacked by sending malware-laden images
Check Point Software Technologies, an Israeli computer security firm on Wednesday, revealed a vulnerability in messaging services, WhatsApp and Telegram that allows the hackers to break into accounts using the very encryption intended to protect messages.
The flaw exposed those who used the web browser versions of WhatsApp and Telegram, both of which are fully synced with their mobile versions. The vulnerability allowed hackers to hijack hundreds of millions of WhatsApp and Telegram accounts simply by sending a malware-laden image. The hack targeted the method in which both Telegram and WhatsApp process images and multimedia files.
Check Point Software Technologies, an Israeli computer security firm on Wednesday, revealed a vulnerability in messaging services, WhatsApp and Telegram that allows the hackers to break into accounts using the very encryption intended to protect messages.
The flaw exposed those who used the web browser versions of WhatsApp and Telegram, both of which are fully synced with their mobile versions. The vulnerability allowed hackers to hijack hundreds of millions of WhatsApp and Telegram accounts simply by sending a malware-laden image. The hack targeted the method in which both Telegram and WhatsApp process images and multimedia files.
I follow and admire Telegram project since their first release. If you haven't already heard about Telegram, it is a messaging platform with tons of useful privacy and security features, and offered completely for free. Telegram project still misses some key features such as an open source codebase and organization level Github repository, to gain my full adoption, but I trust their guarantee for making the source code open in the future.
Good time of day. Want not many to share messenger avant browser. Very fast and nimble, impresses with its loading speed. Very reliable in terms of safety, very easy to operate. Many think he should enjoy it!
Hello, everyone. Has anyone heard of acoo browser? I've heard a lot, can share if something wrong please correct me. Say fast fast, a lot of functionality, not quick enough as Yandex and Google, but in fact surpasses them in the other, the search selection from it, i.e. no need to write in Yandex Google to get to it, and Vice versa in Google, Yandex. Browser not for Amateurs, more for professionals. Did you hear anything about him?
Check Point Software Technologies researchers have revealed a new vulnerability on WhatsApp & Telegram’s online platforms two of the world’s most popular messaging services. By exploiting this vulnerability, attackers could completely take over user accounts, and access victims’ personal and group conversations, photos, videos and other shared files, contact lists, and more.
“This new vulnerability put hundreds of millions of WhatsApp Web and Telegram Web users at risk of complete account take over,” says Doros Hadjizenonos, Country Manager of Check Point South Africa. “By simply sending an innocent looking photo, an attacker could gain control over the account, access message history, all photos that were ever shared, and send messages on behalf of the user.”
“This new vulnerability put hundreds of millions of WhatsApp Web and Telegram Web users at risk of complete account take over,” says Doros Hadjizenonos, Country Manager of Check Point South Africa. “By simply sending an innocent looking photo, an attacker could gain control over the account, access message history, all photos that were ever shared, and send messages on behalf of the user.”
WhatsApp now has a user base of more than one billion, but Telegram is quickly catching up. In February 2016 Telegram claimed over 350,000 users signed up every day, on top of the existing 100 million daily active users.
Telegram faces a lot of criticism for not being fully encrypted by default. But they were the first mass-market messaging app to offer any encryption, and as such were often referred to as the “encrypted chat app” in the media. It’s a nickname that seems to have stuck, and one that might have even contributed to the endorsements garnered from groups such as the notorious terrorist group, ISIS.
Telegram faces a lot of criticism for not being fully encrypted by default. But they were the first mass-market messaging app to offer any encryption, and as such were often referred to as the “encrypted chat app” in the media. It’s a nickname that seems to have stuck, and one that might have even contributed to the endorsements garnered from groups such as the notorious terrorist group, ISIS.
Why I don’t recommend Signal to my friends
I have two main gripes with Signal:
First, it’s only on mobile. I want something on desktop too, because I don’t see a reason to awkwardly type on a smartphone if I’m in front of a PC anyway (which I am most of the time). They do have a kind of desktop client they’re working on, but it’s a Chrome app and connects with your Android phone. I want something I can use to communicate even without my phone, not to mention a solution which doesn’t lock me into a specific browser. Update 2017-04-26: You don’t need Chrome running in order to use it. Still, I’d still like not to be forced to install software I’m not using.
Second, Signal’s SMS/web identity crisis is not particularly user friendly. “Hey, why isn’t my secure SMS delivered”, I hear the potential users yelling before heading back to the warm embrace of Facebook Messenger. The question of an SMS fallback has been discussed several times on the Signal issue tracker; see #3220 and referenced issues for more information on why we won’t see it.
I have two main gripes with Signal:
First, it’s only on mobile. I want something on desktop too, because I don’t see a reason to awkwardly type on a smartphone if I’m in front of a PC anyway (which I am most of the time). They do have a kind of desktop client they’re working on, but it’s a Chrome app and connects with your Android phone. I want something I can use to communicate even without my phone, not to mention a solution which doesn’t lock me into a specific browser. Update 2017-04-26: You don’t need Chrome running in order to use it. Still, I’d still like not to be forced to install software I’m not using.
Second, Signal’s SMS/web identity crisis is not particularly user friendly. “Hey, why isn’t my secure SMS delivered”, I hear the potential users yelling before heading back to the warm embrace of Facebook Messenger. The question of an SMS fallback has been discussed several times on the Signal issue tracker; see #3220 and referenced issues for more information on why we won’t see it.
And how do you rate Signal Private Messenger, forumchane? In some articles write, that Edward stone himself acknowledged this messenger the most secure. And then there's Telegram, and Viber and WhatsApp didn't even make it into the top five. He honestly did not use Signal Private Messenger.
Where will the product be developed?
After reading the entire process of communication on the forum, I did not understand which of the messengers is the greatest protection in the exchange of messages. Somebody please answer. Or Vice versa, each of the applications offers certain services in the field of security?
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