The update of the Telegram Privacy Policy has caused a stir in the cybercriminal community, with concerns rising over the platform’s shift towards sharing user phone numbers and IP addresses with special services. This move has led many cybercriminals to contemplate moving to alternative messaging platforms.
Several prominent cybercriminal groups, such as Ghosts of Palestine, Rippersec, and Al Ahad, have already begun transitioning to safer platforms like Signal and Discord. Some hackers, like Usersec, are providing tips on maintaining anonymity and exploring the possibility of creating a new messaging platform based on Telegram’s interface to reduce exposure risks.
While alternatives like Jabber, Matrix, and Session are being considered, they lack the community-building features of Telegram. Discord currently stands out as offering similar functionalities.
It remains to be seen whether a mass exodus of cybercriminals from Telegram will occur, but the discussions hint at potential changes in the cybercrime landscape. The platform’s efforts to enhance content control through moderators and artificial intelligence may pose challenges for cybercriminals, but they are already exploring ways to circumvent these measures.
Despite the potential shift towards more secure platforms, Telegram’s large user base of 900 million active users suggests that it will continue to play a significant role in the world of cybercrime. However, Meta and its products are deemed extremist and are prohibited in the Russian Federation.