Hacking a Telegram account: how to protect yourself and restore access
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How Telegram accounts are hacked, how to protect yourself from this and what to do to get your account back – in the Kommersant help.
How Telegram accounts are hacked
The simplest and most common hacking method is called social engineering. In such cases, attackers try to convince the user to send his username and password. For example, introducing yourself as the administration of the messenger. The user may also be prompted to follow a malicious link.
When logging into your account, the user must provide a phone number and code from SMS. Accordingly, to gain access, the attacker needs to intercept the SMS. This can be done using viruses. They can end up on your phone when you click on malicious links. In addition, such a program can be embedded in an application.
Hackers can access your account from a lost phone or SIM card. If after the loss the person did not block the device.
You can gain access to personal information by making a duplicate SIM card. They are obtained using a fake power of attorney.
Signs of account hacking
There are several signs that indicate your account has been hacked:
— messages with login codes are sent to your phone;
— you have been kicked out of your account;
— your avatar or information about yourself has changed;
— subscriptions have disappeared or new ones have appeared;
— receiving a message about logging into your account from an unfamiliar device;
– you see messages or posts from your account that you did not make.
Most often, your friends or acquaintances may report that your account has been hacked, indicating that they have received suspicious messages from you.
What to do if your account is hacked
In this case, actions depend on several factors. First of all, it depends on the time that has passed since the fraudster gained access to the account, and whether the user still has a device where he is logged into Telegram.
If a person quickly discovered the fact of hacking and he has access to his account, first of all he needs to go to “Settings” in the “Devices” section and select the “End all other sessions” function there. It is not available immediately after authorization on a new device, so the scammer will not be able to kick you out of your account as soon as he gains access to it.
It is necessary to change the installed additional passwords, if any.
If you lose your SIM card, you must block it immediately. This can be done using a mobile operator. However, the person will need to confirm their own identity.
A more experienced scammer may wait some time after gaining access to the account without performing any actions on it. This is done so that the “End all other sessions” function becomes active on the attacker’s device. In this case, the hacker will be able to leave you without access to your account. You will not be able to log out of the scammer’s session immediately after re-authorization, and he will be able to kick you out of your account as soon as you log in. In such situations, the user can only contact support.
The most drastic action if you lose access to your account is to delete it. It is worth resorting to such a measure if it is not possible to regain control of the account. Deleting your account will prevent your account from being used for fraud. This can be done at website Telegram.
How to protect your account
First of all, you should do two-step authentication to log into your account. In this case, in order to log in to the new device, in addition to the code, you will also need a password. You can install it in “Settings”. You must select the “Privacy” tab, then “Cloud password”.
In the “Confidentiality” section there is also a function for setting a password code. You can use it to block access to specific chats. That is, to enter such a dialogue, you will need to enter a code. This will minimize damage if a fraudster gains access to your account.
Ensure the security of your email and SIM card. You should also protect your email using two-factor authentication. This option exists for most popular services. It is worth contacting your mobile operator to request a ban on cloning your SIM card without your personal request.
Regularly check the active sessions of your Telegram account. And promptly disconnect unfamiliar connections, thus preventing hackers from gaining control of your account.
If you lose your phone, immediately contact your mobile operator to block the SIM card.
Do not click on suspicious links or install applications from unverified sources. They may contain viruses.
Do not share your account information with third parties.
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