Heaptalk, Jakarta — Amidst the issue of cyber security, Cybercrime activity on Telegram surged by 53% in 2024 according to Kaspersky report on Monday (01/07).
“This activity includes discussions of fraud schemes, distribution of leaked databases, and the buying and selling various criminal services,” Kaspersky stated. Furthermore, the cybersecurity company revealed concerning trends on Telegram, such as an increasing number of cybercriminals using the platform for underground market activities.
Cybercriminals actively operate channels and groups on Telegram dedicated to discussing fraud schemes, distributing leaked databases, and trading various criminal services such as fund withdrawals, document forgery, and DDoS attack services. Data from Kaspersky’s Digital Footprint Intelligence indicates that the volume of such posts surged by 53% in May-June 2024 compared to last year.
Alexei Bannikov, an analyst at Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence, revealed that the growing interest in Telegram from the cybercriminal community is driven by several factors, one of which is the messaging app’s popularity. Currently, Telegram’s audience reaches 900 million monthly users.
Additionally, Telegram is marketed as the most secure and independent messaging app. The platform claims it does not collect user data, creating a sense of safety and immunity for threat actors. “Third, creating communities on Telegram is relatively easy. When combined with other factors, it allows various channels, including those of cyber criminals, to gather an audience instantly,” said Alexei.
Meanwhile, cybercriminals operating on Telegram generally exhibit lower sophistication and technical expertise than those on the dark web. This is due to the low barrier to entry into Telegram’s shadow communities. The platform also does not have the same reputation found on many dark web forums. As a result, many scammers on Telegram tend to deceive fellow community members.
