Despite the advantages it offers, the company has come under heavy criticism for not doing enough to combat cybercrime. A new study by KELA, a company specializing in cybercrime, confirms that Telegram has become an attractive place for cybercriminals, even more so than the Dark Web.
Telegram is an attractive platform for cybercrime due to the fact that it allows the creation of large private groups with anonymous identities, which facilitates the sale and sharing of leaked data as well as the conduct of illegal activities such as data extortion, drug sales, and the marketing of other illegal products.
The reason cybercriminals prefer Telegram to the Dark Web is due to the operational benefits it offers, such as ease of use and the ability to remain anonymous with only a phone number for registration. In addition, the open-source API allows users to create third-party bots and interfaces to fulfill various functions needed for their purposes. Telegram also allows attachments up to 2 GB in size with each message.
Although Telegram has taken steps to shut down dangerous groups, some are still operational, and no action has been taken against them. The fact that the platform is gaining traction among threat actors indicates a serious escalation in cybercrime that needs to be combated. With more than 700 million active users, Telegram must ensure that it does not become a base for illegal hacking, online fraud, and other criminal activities.