Telegram's security under scrutiny after Pavel Durov interview

Telegram is a popular internet messenger that allows users to send text messages and multimedia and make voice and video calls. Users appreciate its simplicity, speed, and availability on devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers.

The application gained significant popularity due to advanced privacy features such as end-to-end encryption and the ability to create large groups and channels. Recently, Tucker Carlson interviewed Telegram's founder, Pavel Durov. The conversation may suggest that the application is not as secure as it might seem.

Durov admitted that he is the only product manager in the company and that he employs around 30 full-time engineers. However, experts have questioned the platform's security given such a small number of specialists.

Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and an experienced expert in high-risk user security, pointed out in an interview with TechCrunch the extensive functionality of the platform and the limited number of personnel.

What makes Telegram different (and much worse!) is that Telegram is not just a messaging app, it is also a social media platform. As a social media platform, it is sitting on an enormous amount of user data. Indeed, it is sitting on the contents of all communications that are not one-on-one messages that have been specifically [end-to-end] encrypted," Galperin said in an interview with TechCrunch. "'Thirty engineers' means that there is no one to fight legal requests, there is no infrastructure for dealing with abuse and content moderation issues."

"AAnd I would even argue that the quality of those 30 engineers isn’t that great," Galperin continued. "Also, if I was a threat actor, I would definitely consider this to be encouraging news. Every attacker loves a profoundly understaffed and overworked opponent."