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Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?

blog.cryptographyengineering.com

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Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?

#21

Post by fsflover »

331c8c71 wrote: post #13

I am null at cryptography but thie following does not sound too bad as a default tbh. And I think it is misleading to focus solely on e2ee and not mention the distributed aspect. https://telegram.org/faq#q-do-you-process-data-requests > To protect the data that is not covered by end-to-end encryption, Telegram uses a distributed infrastructure. Cloud chat data is stored in multiple data centers around the globe that…

> Telegram can be forced to give up data

That's all you need to know. Matrix and Signal can't be forced in any way.

Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?

#22

Post by lxgr »

cheptsov wrote: post #12

The author claims that everyone refers to Telegram as an encrypted messenger, but he only provides a single example to support that. I quickly checked Google News and couldn't find any media on the first page that did the same. It feels like a manipulation. UPDATE: anyone who downvote, I invite to check for themselves. Just a few known media: 1. https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2024/8/25/telegram-messag... 2. https…

Subjectively and qualitatively, roughly half of all news articles on Telegram I read contain the word "encrypted" or at least "secure" somewhere.

Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?

#24

Post by Cynddl »

cheptsov wrote: post #12

The author claims that everyone refers to Telegram as an encrypted messenger, but he only provides a single example to support that. I quickly checked Google News and couldn't find any media on the first page that did the same. It feels like a manipulation. UPDATE: anyone who downvote, I invite to check for themselves. Just a few known media: 1. https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2024/8/25/telegram-messag... 2. https…

Just today, every French newspaper and hundreds around the world. Two examples:

https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/pavel-durov-te... “Chief executive of the encrypted messaging app reportedly detained at an airport near Paris over alleged failure to stop criminal activity on the platform”

https://www.tf1info.fr/high-tech/telegram-qui-est-pavel-duro... (one of the largest French newspaper) “Qui est Pavel Durov, le fondateur de la messagerie cryptée Telegram arrêté samedi en France ?”

Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?

#25

Post by StrLght »

331c8c71 wrote: post #13

I am null at cryptography but thie following does not sound too bad as a default tbh. And I think it is misleading to focus solely on e2ee and not mention the distributed aspect. https://telegram.org/faq#q-do-you-process-data-requests > To protect the data that is not covered by end-to-end encryption, Telegram uses a distributed infrastructure. Cloud chat data is stored in multiple data centers around the globe that…

Problem with this claim is that it's hardly verifiable. Telegram's backend is closed source, and the only thing you can be sure of is that their backend sees every message in plaintext.

Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?

#26

Post by ahmedbaracat »

331c8c71 wrote: post #13

I am null at cryptography but thie following does not sound too bad as a default tbh. And I think it is misleading to focus solely on e2ee and not mention the distributed aspect. https://telegram.org/faq#q-do-you-process-data-requests > To protect the data that is not covered by end-to-end encryption, Telegram uses a distributed infrastructure. Cloud chat data is stored in multiple data centers around the globe that…

I am wondering if there was any incident that disproved the “we have disclosed 0 bytes of user data to third parties, including governments.” statement.

Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?

#28

Post by Avamander »

AnotherGoodName wrote: post #6

If telegrams encryption is so bad why is Pavel Durov under arrest? The arrest cites that he was not cooperating with authorities to crack down on various drug illegal activities on telegram. None of the other social networks have their ceos arrested. Is it simply that telegram is the only one without backdoors for five eyes? It seems to me the secret chat feature actually works too well?

> Is it simply that telegram is the only one without backdoors for five eyes?

Do you honestly think that any backdoor would be used for such mundane crimes? Even more so, it being in any way acknowledged that there might be a backdoor?

On that topic, it's highly likely Telegram is cooperating with Russian LE. Services and people that don't get thrown out quickly in Russia.

> The arrest cites that he was not cooperating with authorities to crack down on various drug illegal activities on telegram. [...] None of the other social networks have their ceos arrested.

Because if you want to operate in any country, you're either cooperating with the authorities or you'll get shut down or arrested. Hiding evidence you have is not tolerated anywhere.

Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?

#29

Post by cja »

AnotherGoodName wrote: post #6

If telegrams encryption is so bad why is Pavel Durov under arrest? The arrest cites that he was not cooperating with authorities to crack down on various drug illegal activities on telegram. None of the other social networks have their ceos arrested. Is it simply that telegram is the only one without backdoors for five eyes? It seems to me the secret chat feature actually works too well?

Telegram is the comms system for the Russian military.

Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?

#30

Post by jeroenhd »

sharpshadow wrote: post #15

Only the secret chat is e2e encrypted. All the other chat options are not. I think calls are also not encrypted since they appear in the normal chat history not in the e2e chat. Obviously if your phone is compromised your e2ee chat is not safe.

Calls seem tm be e2e encrypted: https://core.telegram.org/api/end-to-end/video-calls

No idea how secure the encryption is, but calling someone on Telegram is safer than sending texts.

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