Is Telegram Safe?

We all want our private messages to be protected from other people’s prying eyes.

Today, no messaging app seems to be immune to someone who manages to breach our privacy and gain access to our conversations in different chat apps.

However, Telegram may be different. But is it safer than some other well-known apps? This is a frequently asked question all over the internet, so if you want to know what makes your private Telegram conversations safe, read on!

How Telegram Secures Your Messages

Telegram has a number of layers of security that it uses to ensure that your messages are securely stored within the app without the possibility of anyone else reading it.

First of all, there is the MTProto protocol used to encrypt your messages. What is this protocol?

For those unfamiliar with IT terminology, we will try to simplify this: The MTProto protocol encrypts the message body very securely before it is transmitted over a network. It also includes some other security components that make message transmission extra secure.

It’s important to highlight that Telegram has three layers of encryption, while most other chat apps only have two – another reason Telegram is more secure.

Telegram not only keeps your messages safe, but also your personal information. Messaging apps allow you to connect with people you don’t know personally, so you might be uncomfortable giving your phone number to a stranger. Telegram allows you to connect with someone using your username so you don’t have to share your personal phone number right away.

Secret Chat

Walls may have ears, but Telegram’s secret chat definitely doesn’t.

If you want a conversation to be destroyed and leave no trace of it happening, Telegram gives you this option. A secret chat can be destroyed manually or automatically if you turn on the timer within the conversation.

What makes secret chat even more private is that you can’t save it to your phone or take a screenshot of the conversation itself. This feature has been disabled by the app, so no more “I have proof” unpleasant situations – once the chat is destroyed, it’s gone.

Also, secret chats are not saved in Cloud like other messages in this app. They have end-to-end encryption and are hack resistant. Only when you sign out of the device you use for chatting will be lost and you cannot recover it.

Password Lock

Password lock allows you to use this app on several devices at the same time. However, that doesn’t mean someone else can access your private conversations just because they’re using the same device.

With the password lock, no one else can see your Telegram messages. Not even the sender’s name or the message preview is shown on the home screen.

Setting the password is extremely simple – choose a four-digit password to lock your Telegram app when you are not using a particular device and all your private data will be securely stored from anyone.

This feature is available for Android and iPhone users.

Two-Step Verification

This is a useful layer of security that can make your Telegram account harder to hack – it’s easy to activate and you can relax and rest assured that your messages are safe. To enable two-step verification, do the following:

1. Launch the app and sign in.
2. Open the menu by tapping the menu icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
3. Open Settings and select Privacy & Security.
4. Select the Two-Step Verification option.
5. Now you need to create a new password. Make sure it’s strong and consists of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and other characters.
6. Re-enter the password to confirm.
7. Make a hint for your password in case you forget what it is. Make sure you are the only one who understands the hint.
8. Type your email address and select the check icon to complete the process.
9. Open your email inbox – you should have received an email with a confirmation link. Click to confirm and complete the two-step verification setup.

How Do I Know If I Have Been Hacked?

It’s not easy to tell if your account has been hacked, but there are some suspicious activities that can trigger an alarm and cause you to be more careful when using different apps. Here are some signs that you may have been hacked:

1. Your friends and contacts are complaining that they are receiving some strange messages, pictures or other content from your account. And you know you didn’t send them.
2. You have to enter your username and password every time you want to use the app.
3. Suddenly, the app is notified that a new session has been logged, but from a different location and a different device.
4. Even if you know that you are using the correct username and password, you cannot log in to the application.
5. You will receive an email with a request to change the password. This doesn’t mean you’ve already been hacked, but there may have been an attempt.
6. You have been asked to confirm your phone number and email address multiple times.
   

Healing Makes (Almost) Perfect

There is no such thing as a perfect app that is immune to new technological advances and savvy hackers.

Telegram’s security teams are constantly working to improve its security and do their best to keep your messages and private information as secure as possible. However, as in every business and in every area of ​​life, mistakes happen.

You know – the best way to keep a secret is to not tell it to anyone. Write it down or write it down.

Are you using Telegram’s secret chat? Share your experiences in the comments section below!