Is Telegram Safe? Exploring the Pros and Cons

March 6, 2024 By Janne Smith No Comments 10 minutes

Is Telegram safe? Originating from Russia in 2013, this messaging app hosts over 550 million monthly users globally due to its strong security and privacy features. Despite the alluring features of encrypted messages, users often wonder, “Is Telegram secure?” and “Is Telegram encrypted?” Summing up, Telegram is generally secure and offers end-to-end encryption, but you’re never safe on the web.

That said, we’ll cover a brief analysis of Telegram’s security, answer “is telegram encrypted,” compare Telegram vs. WhatsApp, the advantages and disadvantages of Telegram, and its alternatives. Conclusively, we’ll wrap up with the FAQs.

Note: The Internet may be the best thing after sliced bread; cyber threats say otherwise. While Telegram’s a slightly safer option, you’re still only a step away from a potential cyber attack. However, connecting to FastestVPN turns the tables.

Using a VPN, all browsing information passes through an encrypted tunnel, resulting in ciphered data. This makes it almost impossible for the hackers ever to make their way in and steal your data. Meanwhile, you’re virtually anonymous when connected to a VPN–thanks to a concealed IP address.

Is Telegram Safe?

Wondering, “Is Telegram app safe?” or “Is Telegram secure.” Telegram is a known Whatsapp alternative and is widely popular for being a safe messaging app. It encrypts data to secure messages during transmission, reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Even after reaching Telegram’s servers, your messages remain encrypted.

Speaking of “is Telegram secure.” Only the recipient can access the messages you send; even Telegram can’t read them since they are decrypted only when sent to the recipient. Illustrating it, the receiver’s device uses a unique key that pairs with a counterpart key on Telegram’s server to decrypt the message. When the keys match, the recipient can view the message’s content.

However, despite the claims supporting “is Telegram secure,” the unique key comes from Telegram. This means they can always access the messages if required. And that’s what raises a few heads. In case of a cyber-attack or a hacker intercepting Telegram’s network, all your messages can get exposed in no time. However, to tackle this, Telegram offers a “secret chats” feature for added protection, and the ones concerned about “is Telegram secure.”

Is Telegram Safer Than WhatsApp?

The moment WhatsApp becomes inaccessible, Telegram becomes the last resort. But is Telegram safer than WhatsApp? We’ve got a separate article if you’re up for a detailed, insightful analysis. As a recapitulation–WhatsApp is safer than Telegram. And the end-to-end encryption makes the application reign the throne of secure messaging apps.

Is Telegram End-To-End Encrypted by Default

Whenever it comes to “is Telegram app safe?” and “is Telegram secure.” It’s the encryption standards that we consider. Telegram also features end-to-end encryption, but it isn’t set up by default; you must enable it manually.

Moreover, it has a Secret Chats feature and self-destructing messages. However, the encryption doesn’t stand the same as WhatsApp’s, making the latter a safer option.

What Encryption Does Telegram Use?

Now that you know about “Is Telegram encrypted,” the messaging app features its own encryption protocol, the MTProto. It’s a combination of different cryptographic algorithms that encrypt all types of user data. This encryption relies on the following:

1. 256-bit symmetric AES encryption
2. 2048-bit RSA encryption
3. Diffie–Hellman secure key exchange

However, Telegram has not revealed MTProt’s underlying code. To further delve into, “is Telegram app safe? And “is Telegram secure” or “Is Telegram encrypted.” Some security experts criticize it for being relatively new and lacking extensive security evaluations compared to other encryption protocols.

On the other hand, Telegram now offers secret chats and self-destructive messages to align with advanced security standards. But, the secret chats are device specific, and the best fool-proof method to ensure device security is using a VPN, like FastestVPN.

Connecting to the VPN, your IP address changes according to the server location. Meanwhile, other premium features, such as robust security protocols and military-grade encryption, ensure elevated digital security protection.

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Telegram?

According to Whop, Telegram had 800+ million active monthly users by January 2024. While the stats advocate for several advantages offered by Telegram, there are also a few drawbacks that you must know about when considering “Is Telegram app safe?”:

Advantages of Telegram

Now that you have an overview of the pros of Telegram, here’s a brief description of each advantage:

1. Extensive Cloud Storage

Here’s what steals the show–an extensive cloud storage! The messaging app offers unlimited storage for images, messages, documents and other media files that can be accessed from any device.

2. Community Channels

Similar to Whatsapp, you can create or subscribe to community channels on Telegram. This helps you elevate your digital presence as a channel owner. You can also always keep up with channel updates and announcements.

3. Freemium Model

You can leverage premium messaging features like WhatsApp and others on Telegram. It offers secret chats, channels, chatbots, group chats, audio and video calls, and stickers.

4. Similar to Other Messaging Services

If you’re mostly familiar with other messaging services like WhatsApp or Viber, then acquainting yourself with Telegram is only going to be a breeze. The security and messaging features resemble another messaging app.

5. Cross-compatible App

Telegram offers a cross-compatible app that features an intuitive and easy-to-use interface. Moreover, you can personalize the app and leverage its built-in biometrics to ensure enhanced security and limited access to the app.

Disadvantages of Telegram

Despite all the advantages, “Is Telegram app safe?” There are 5 disadvantages to know before using Telegram:

1. Limited Cross-compatible Features

While the app boasts cross-compatibility, a few of its features are inaccessible to specific devices. For example, you’ll not get the same features as Android, iOS, and iPadOS on your MacOS. The latter is known as the scaled-down version.

2. Unreliable for Monetary Use

Telegram doesn’t feature ads, i.e., you can’t use the platform for monetary profits. But, this may not be a major drawback since most messaging apps don’t feature ads.

3. Smaller User Base

Despite Telegram hosting millions of users, it’s still not as popular as a few other messaging apps. Due to this limited reach, you might not find all your contacts on the app.

4. Data Privacy Concerns

Telegram stores user information, including their email addresses, phone numbers, names, and much more. Due to this, it’s not the safest messaging app available. Moreover, despite the end-to-end encryption, Telegram still stores files and messages on its servers.

5. No Default Encryption

While “Is Telegram encrypted” comes as a yes, it’s not set up by default, and you need to manually enable it on your device.

What Data Does Telegram Gather?

When it comes to “Is Telegram app safe?” And “Is Telegram encrypted?” Here’s what to know. Telegram collects and retains various types of user data and message content, including:

• Unencrypted and encrypted messages, photos, videos, and files.
• Phone numbers and contact names from users’ devices.
• Location data if users share it with the Telegram app.
• Cookies when utilizing the web version of Telegram.
• Metadata such as IP addresses, device IDs, and details of different Telegram apps used by the user.

This data is encrypted and stored in third-party data centers located in the Netherlands. However, Telegram’s privacy policy lacks clarity regarding the duration for which they retain users’ personal data. They state that they hold onto it for as long as necessary to provide their services, which is a vague timeframe and could be considered a security flaw in their privacy policies.

Despite this, Telegram has demonstrated a commitment to protecting user data in the past. For instance, in 2013, the company refused to release user data to the Russian government under pressure, and its owner relocated to Dubai to continue operating Telegram under a different government’s jurisdiction.

However, in 2023, Telegram provided user data to German authorities, even after it was revealed that the government had hacked the app and obtained user information illicitly.

What Are the Telegram Security Issues?

When considering, “is Telegram app safe?” You must know that Telegram has some serious security issues. Below are some of the main security concerns of the messaging app.

End-to-End Encryption in Telegram: Limited to Secret Chats

End-to-end encryption, which keeps messages private once they reach Telegram servers, is a crucial feature for privacy. However, in Telegram, this encryption is only available for Secret Chats, not regular private chats. This means sensitive information shared in regular chats could be vulnerable to third parties without users’ knowledge.

MTProto Protocol: Limited Testing and Security Flaws

Telegram uses its proprietary encryption protocol, MTProto, which is not as extensively tested as other widely used protocols. While it’s open-source for scrutiny, researchers have identified security flaws such as message manipulation and vulnerability to attacks like Man-In-The-Middle and timing-based side-channel attacks. Although Telegram has patched known vulnerabilities, there may be more that is yet to be uncovered through future research.

Privacy Policy Concerns

According to Telegram’s privacy policy, certain user metadata like IP addresses and device information are collected and stored for up to a year. In cases where law enforcement suspects a user of terrorism, Telegram may provide the user’s phone number and IP address to relevant authorities upon request.

3 Best Telegram Alternatives

According to Statista, Telegram is the 3rd most downloaded messaging app. But despite its popularity, a few of its limitations that refer to “Is Telegram app safe?” don’t make it sit well with a few users. That said, if you’re looking for the best Telegram alternatives, then here’s a list of the top 3 options available:

1. WhatsApp

Unlike Telegram, WhatsApp offers an enhanced end-to-end encryption and more versatile. Furthermore, it’s also more widely available and has a wider user-base, making it easily accessible for most users.

2. Skype

Being one of the best Telegram alternatives, you can use Skype for both–individual and business use. It offers strong security along with high-quality video calls.

3. Facebook Messenger

Facebook is a popular social media platform, and the Messenger app makes connecting with friends and family easier. If you’ve a Facebook account, you don’t need to have a separate messaging app to connect with your contacts. Instead, you can always get in touch via Messenger.

Conclusion

This article covered various queries, such as “Is Telegram encrypted,” Is Telegram secure and various others? While Telegram offers a range of features and benefits for messaging, its level of security may not meet the standards of those seeking the utmost privacy and encryption for their communications. And that’s a conclusive answer to, “Is Telegram safe?”

For everyday users, Telegram is comparable to traditional messaging apps, but for individuals prioritizing maximum security, exploring alternative messaging platforms with stronger encryption options may be advisable.

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