Media: Telegram and the FSB – what is known
 Media: Telegram and the FSB — what is known
This week, journalists from “Important Stories” released an investigation which discusses possible close ties between Telegram and Russian intelligence services. Journalists found that Telegram’s infrastructure is serviced by companies that are alleged to simultaneously fulfill contracts for the FSB — Russian intelligence service.
The investigation also claims that a vulnerability in the messenger’s protocol, which allows for the tracking of user activity and movements worldwide, could have been intentionally created for the needs of Russian intelligence services.
The reaction from Telegram and its key network partner, GNM Inc., only added more questions. In their rebuttals, they either denied theses that weren’t in the investigation to begin with or made statements that contradicted the facts.
@tginfo conducted its own analysis. In the article, we analyze the technical nuances of the vulnerability, assess the reality of the threats, and weigh the arguments of all sides.
Our conclusion: there is no direct evidence of cooperation between Telegram and the FSB, but the suspicious partners, the ignoring of inconvenient questions, the lack of transparency, and the messenger’s often reckless attitude towards privacy and security are problems that cannot be ignored.
Considering all this, we do not advise using either cloud or secret chats in Telegram if you have a reason to be concerned about your security. The messenger can only rectify this situation with significant changes in the company’s culture.
