Experts say Telegram's '30 engineers' team is a security red flag
Why did security experts consider Durov's statements a red flag?
Security experts considered Durov's statements a red flag because he mentioned having only about 30 engineers working on Telegram, which raises concerns about the app's cybersecurity and ability to combat hackers, especially government-backed ones1. Additionally, Telegram's default chats are not end-to-end encrypted, and the company uses its own proprietary encryption algorithm, causing doubts over its security.
What specific feature must Telegram users activate for end-to-end encryption?
Telegram users must activate the "Secret Chat" feature for end-to-end encryption. This feature ensures that messages are only accessible on the devices of the sender and recipient and cannot be deciphered by Telegram or any third party. Secret Chats also offer additional privacy features, such as self-destruct timers and preventing message forwarding.
What did Pavel Durov claim about his role at Telegram in the recent interview?
Pavel Durov, in a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, claimed that he is the only product manager at Telegram and that he employs "about 30 engineers." He stated this while discussing the platform's role and expressing his concerns about free expression, pointing out that Apple and Google are the real problems5.