Telegram is among the most secure messaging platforms because of its numerous security features, including secret chats and two-factor authentication.
However, that doesn’t mean your Telegram account can’t be hacked, especially if you don’t maximize the Telegram security features. This guide hopes to answer your question about how your Telegram account can be hacked.
There are three main ways your Telegram account can be hacked. First, someone can install a spy app that will give them access to your Telegram information on their phone remotely. Secondly, if the Telegram company gets hacked, user accounts can also get compromised in such a scenario. If someone uses phishing attacks, they can access your Telegram account online. We will see how each attack works.
First, we will discuss whether Telegram can be hacked. Still, we will discuss various ways your Telegram can be hacked and conclude with tips for knowing your Telegram has been hacked and the actions to take.
Can Telegram Be Hacked?
Yes, it can. Hacking an account is not an obvious task. In some cases, you may involve the services of a hacker or a third-party tool that allows you to access a target Telegram account.
By default, Telegram has various measures it uses to secure users. For instance, Telegram must verify your identity using a verification code or scan the QR code when you want to sign in on another device.
Thus, when someone wants to hack your Telegram account, they must find ways that help them bypass these limitations. Unfortunately, as the end user, you are the weakest link to getting hacked on Telegram. Many attacks exploit the end user to stage the hack.
How Can Someone Hack My Telegram Account?
When someone wants to hack your Telegram account, they can use different methods to compromise it. We will detail the three main ways that the attacker can use.
Phishing Attacks
Hackers understand that the account owner is the weakest link to hacking a telegram account. Hence, they will find ways to trick you into believing your account is at risk and can help you out. In most cases, the attacker will pose to be the Telegram support and ask if you’ve received any code on your phone.
If you fall victim to this trick and send your verification code to them, they will gain access to your account on their end. For instance, when someone wants to log in to the Telegram web on their device, they need the verification code. They can use phishing attacks or physically access your phone and get the code to access it.
Spy App
There are plenty of spy apps on the market. Many of these spy apps are designed with the parental control concept, where they are to help parents protect their kids by monitoring their activities on Telegram.
When you get such a spy app, you can install it on the target person’s phone. Once you configure it, the spy app’s instructions will give you access to someone’s Telegram activities, such as their messages.
Therefore, if someone can physically access your phone, they can install a spy app and hide it. That way, they will have secretly hacked into your account, and you might not realize it.
Public Attacks
Although this attack may not be used to target a specific user, in some rare cases, you may be a victim of mass attacks. In this case, the attack will target to hack Telegram and access its database.
If successful, they will use the accessed data to compromise the user accounts. If you are unlucky, your Telegram account may be compromised.
Signs of a Hacked Telegram Account
When you are using Telegram, some signs signal your account has been hacked. Some of the signs include the following.
- If you notice you are getting verification codes on your phone, someone is accessing your account.
- Someone has hacked your account if you notice new chats set or replied to, and you didn’t do so.
- You’ve been hacked if there are changes to your profile, such as the Telegram profile picture.
How To React to a Hacked Telegram Account
When you notice you’ve been hacked, do the following.
- Access your Telegram account and change the password.
- Log out all the linked devices.
- Set up “Two-step Verification”.
- Install an anti-virus on your phone to detect and remove any suspicious apps.
Conclusion
Your Telegram account can get hacked. We’ve discussed three main strategies that can be used to hack into your account. Moreover, we’ve seen signs of a hacked Telegram account and the actions to take.