How Pavel Durov’s problems could affect Telegram’s security: September 17, 2024 | 10:36

Tengrinews.kz – Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram and VK, who was arrested in France, has agreed to cooperate with the country’s secret services and has begun providing them with information. How Durov’s problems could affect the security and confidentiality of the messenger was discussed by cybersecurity, IT and marketing expert Evgeny Pitolin.

Pitolin noted that despite his importance, Pavel Durov does not represent the entirety of Telegram.

“I am convinced that the company’s operations, like those of any large corporation, are structured in such a way that the departure, business trip or even death of the boss will not affect its functioning. One would hope that the resilience of the system does not depend on incidents involving its boss. I believe this scenario is planned, and fail-safe mechanisms make Durov a useless asset for France, even if much is concentrated in his hands,” she explained.

At the same time, the expert noted that Telegram’s positioning as a completely secure and confidential messenger had been greatly exaggerated from the very beginning.

“The question is to what extent it is actually possible to ensure confidentiality in a messenger. I have serious doubts. For example, many people open messengers, be it WhatsApp or Telegram, on their work computers, thereby increasing the risks. If you use a messenger on a work computer, you expose all your communications to the risk of leaks,” warned Pitolin.

Evgeny Pitolin. Photos from the personal archive

In the meantime, many scammers have already taken advantage of the situation surrounding the Telegram founder, so Pitolin advises people to remain vigilant.

“Many scammers have appeared and are using alarming predictions as a scam. For example, they write: ‘Telegram is blocked! To copy your data and messages, click here.’ Such messages are becoming more and more common, so it is important to be especially careful now. Cybercriminals will be the main beneficiaries of this situation,” he warned.

It’s no secret that many commercial, corporate and government services are based on Telegram. Bots and chats have become convenient tools for interacting with the public and providing services, including in Kazakhstan. The expert notes that this brings an additional risk: if the messenger suddenly “breaks down”, it could affect thousands of ordinary users.

“I am less worried about Pavel himself. He has accumulated a lot of questions and will be able to solve his problems. I feel sorry for those who may become victims of cybercriminals and for those who may suddenly not be able to receive their services correctly, quickly and clearly,” concluded Evgeny Pitolin.

As a reminder, the investigation into Telegram was launched following the arrest of Pavel Durov by French intelligence last month.

On August 28, he was released in Paris on bail of 5 million euros. Durov was not allowed to leave France and had to report to the police twice a week.

Later it became known that he agreed to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and disclosed information that could identify Telegram users. In addition, it became known that Pavel Durov’s brother will be forced to come to France to testify.