A major Telegram data breach has put more than 200 million user records at risk after attackers posted the stolen data on a popular leak forum. The exposed information includes email addresses, phone numbers, usernames, and names.

Three separate databases were shared on January 24th, containing roughly 44GB of uncompressed data. Users on the forum have been commenting on the post daily since it first appeared.

How the Telegram Data Breach Happened

According to the forum post, the data was collected from databases shared across Telegram-based hacking channels.

Security researchers investigated a sample and confirmed it contained the following data:

• Usernames
• Full Names
• Email Addresses
• Phone Numbers

Whether this represents a fresh breach or a collection of previously scraped and stolen details remains unclear. The dataset appears to hold 66 million phone numbers and user IDs along with 10 million additional records.

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Telegram’s Response

A Telegram representative denied that private user data was exposed, claiming the records only reveal user IDs and public usernames.

“These records appear to be the result of importing contacts and so reveal only the user ID and public username. No private data is exposed and users are not at risk,” the spokesperson said.

Still, the presence of email addresses and phone numbers in the leaked sample contradicts this claim.

This breach also comes at a turbulent time for the platform. In 2024, Telegram founder Pavel Durov agreed to share user IP addresses and phone numbers with government authorities who submit legal requests. The policy shift followed Durov’s arrest in France on charges of facilitating illegal activity through the app.

How to Protect Yourself After This Breach

If you use Telegram, take these steps right away:

• Change your password and enable two-factor authentication
• Review your privacy settings and restrict who can see your phone number
• Watch for phishing emails or text messages tied to your account
• Do not click suspicious links sent through SMS or email
• Consider using a VPN for additional online protection

Researchers warned that this contact information could fuel massive phishing campaigns targeting millions of users worldwide.

Final Thoughts

This Telegram data breach is another reminder that no platform is immune to security incidents. Telegram’s denial doesn’t change the fact that emails and phone numbers appeared in the leaked sample.

Regardless you should take online security seriously and consider identity theft protection to stay ahead of bad actors.

For more details on this story, refer to the report from Cybernews.

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