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Telegram (software)

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Telegram
Developer(s)Telegram Messenger LLP
Initial releaseAugust 2013 (2013-08)
Stable release
Android10.15.0[1] Edit this on Wikidata / 31 July 2024; 13 days ago (31 July 2024)
iOS, iPadOS10.15[2] Edit this on Wikidata / 31 July 2024; 13 days ago (31 July 2024)
Windows, macOS, Linux
(Telegram Desktop)		5.3.0[3] Edit this on Wikidata / 31 July 2024; 13 days ago (31 July 2024)
macOS10.15.4[4] Edit this on Wikidata / 1 August 2024; 12 days ago (1 August 2024)
Repository
Operating systemAndroid, iOS, Windows Phone, Ubuntu Touch, Firefox OS, MS Windows, Linux, OS X
Size13 MB (Android)[5]
35 MB (iOS)[6]
18 MB (Windows Phone)[7]
Available inEnglish, Arabic, Spanish, German, Italian, Korean, Dutch, Portuguese (Brazil & Portugal), Russian
TypeInstant messaging
LicenseMultiple (client)[8]
Closed-source (server)
Websitetelegram.org

Telegram is a cloud-based instant messaging service that focusses on privacy and multi-platform availability. Telegram clients exist for both mobile (Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Ubuntu Touch) and desktop systems (Windows, OS X, Linux).[8][10] Users can send messages and exchange photos, videos, stickers and files of any type up to 1.5 GB in size. Telegram also provides optional end-to-end encrypted messaging with self-destruct timers.

Telegram is supported by the Russian-born entrepreneur Pavel Durov,[11] who is now living in exile.[12] Its client-side code is open-source software, whereas its server-side code is closed-sourced and proprietary. The service also provides APIs to independent developers.

History

Telegram was launched in 2013 by brothers Nikolai and Pavel Durov, who previously founded the Russian social network VK, but had to leave the company after it was taken over by the Russian Government.[12][13] Nikolai Durov created the MTProto protocol that is the basis for the messenger, while Pavel provided financial support and infrastructure through his Digital Fortress fund.[14]

Telegram is registered as both an English LLP[15] and an American LLC.[16] It does not disclose where it rents offices or which legal entities it uses to rent them, citing the need to "shelter the team from unnecessary influence" and protect users from governmental data requests.[17] The service is headquartered in Berlin, Germany.[18] Durov left Russia and is said to be moving from country to country with a small group of computer programmers.[12]

In October 2013, Telegram had 100,000 daily active users.[13] On 24 March 2014, Telegram announced that it has reached 35 million monthly users and 15 million daily active users.[19] In October 2014, South Korean governmental surveillance plans drove many of its citizens to switch to Telegram.[18] In December 2014, Telegram announced they had 50 million active users, generating 1 billion daily messages and that they had 1 million new users signing up on their service every week;[20] traffic doubled in five months with 2 billion daily messages.[21] Later announcement stated the app delivers 12 billion daily messages.[22]

Features

Account

Similar to services like WhatsApp, Telegram accounts are tied to telephone numbers and verified by SMS or phone call.[23] A user can add multiple devices to their account and receive messages on each one. Connected devices can be removed individually or all at once. The associated number can be changed at any time and when doing so, the user's contacts will receive the new number automatically.[23][24][25] In addition, a user can set up an alias that allows them to send and receive messages without exposing their phone number.[26] Accounts can be deleted at any time and they are deleted automatically after six months of inactivity by default. Users can control the "last seen" timestamps, replacing them with fudged messages such as "last seen within a week".[27]

Messages

Regular messages are cloud-based and can be accessed on any of the user's connected devices.[28] Users can share photos, videos, audio messages and other files (up to 1.5 gigabyte in size).[8][29] Users can send messages to other users individually or to groups of up to 200 members. Channels can be created for broadcasting messages to preselected users and subscribers.[30] The transmission of regular messages to Telegram Messenger LLP's servers is encrypted with the service's MTProto protocol.[28]

Secret chats

A "secret chat" confirmation notice - screenshot from Android Marshmallow

Messages can also be sent with client-to-client encryption in so-called secret chats. Contrary to regular messages, messages sent within a secret chat can only be accessed on the device upon which the secret chat was initiated or accepted; they can't be accessed on other devices.[13][28][31] Secret chats have to be initiated and accepted by an invite, upon which the encryption keys for the session are exchanged. Messages sent within secret chats can, in principle, be deleted at any time and can optionally self-destruct.[32]

According to Telegram, secret chats support perfect forward secrecy since December 2014. Encryption keys are periodically changed after a key has been used more than 100 times or has been in use for more than a week. Old encryption keys are destroyed.[24][25][33]

Bots

In June 2015, Telegram launched a platform for third-party developers to create bots.[34] Bots are Telegram accounts operated by programs. They can respond to messages, can be invited into groups and can be integrated into other programs. Dutch website Tweakers reported that an invited bot can potentially read all group messages when the bot controller changes the access settings silently at a later point in time. Telegram pointed out that it considered implementing a feature that would announce such a status change within the relevant group.[35]

Architecture

Protocol

Explanation of secret chats, included in Telegram, using the keys of the devices, then share the code modified for use as single key encryption and locally synchronized

The new MTProto protocol created by Nikolai Durov is based on 256-bit symmetric AES encryption, RSA 2048 encryption, and Diffie–Hellman key exchange.[36]

Licensing

All official Telegram clients (and some of the unofficial clients) are open source.[37] Telegram's server-side software, however, is closed-source and proprietary. Pavel Durov said the server code is not free software because it would require major architecture redesign to allow independent servers to act as a unified Telegram cloud.[38]

List of applications

File:Webogram Screenshot.png
Telegram Web, aka, Webogram

Telegram has various clients with support for more platforms expected in the future. Its server system is decentralized and distributed throughout the world to improve response times by geographical position.[39] This list includes versions developed on official platforms backed by the development team, or supported by the community to be integrated in the future.

Desktop

Telegram Desktop running on Arch Linux
Telegram Desktop version 0.9.2 running on Windows 8.1
  • Telegram for OS X: the first official application, available for OS X
  • Telegram Desktop: official multi-platform desktop app, that can be used in Microsoft Windows (portable application), OS X, and GNU/Linux
  • Cutegram: unofficial multi-plattform desktop app, based on Qt with Secure Chat support[40]

Mobile

Others

Criticism

Security

In 2013, some cryptography experts expressed concerns about Telegram's MTProto protocol.[47][clarification needed]

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) listed Telegram on its "Secure Messaging Scorecard". It gave 4 out of 7 points for Telegram's regular chat function and 7 out of 7 for the end-to-end-encrypted secret chat.[48] However, the Scorecard itself was criticised for being inaccurate, misleading and vague.[49]

In 2015, Zimperium claimed that messages were stored unencrypted and an attacker could read Telegram messages by first gaining access to a user's device via a vulnerability in the operating system. EFF security expert Eva Galperin compared the attack proposed by Zimperium to saying: "Ha, ha! I can get into your house with the key! Gotcha!"[50] Thomas Chopitea and Filippo Valsorda confirmed that Telegram encryption has not been broken by Zimperium and Telegram has released an update that allows users to encrypt their message database using a passphrase.[51]

Cryptography contests

Telegram has organised two cryptography contests to challenge third parties to break the service's cryptography and disclose the information contained within a secret chat between two fake users. A reward of respectively US$200,000 and US$300,000 was offered. Both of these contests expired with no winners.[52][53] Security researcher Moxie Marlinspike and commenters on Hacker News criticised the first contest for being rigged or framed in Telegram's favour and said that Telegram's statements on the value of these contests as proof of the service's security are misleading.[54][55][56]

Censorship

Telegram was open and working in Iran without any VPN or other circumvention methods in May 2015.[57] In August 2015, the Iranian Ministry of ICT asserted that Telegram had agreed to restrict some of its bots and sticker packs in Iran at the request of the Iranian government.[58] According to an article published on Global Voices, these features were being used by Iranians to "share porn and satirical comments about the Iranian government". The article also noted that "some users are concerned that Telegram's willingness to comply with Iranian government requests might mean future complicity with other Iranian government censorship, or even allow government access to Telegram's data on Iranian users".[58] However Telegram stated that all Telegram chats are private territory and that they do not process any requests related to them. Only requests regarding public content (bots and sticker packs) will be processed.[59] In October 2015, Pavel Durov tweeted that Telegram Messenger LLP "can not and will not" help Iranian officials to use Telegram to spy on their citizens[60] and that the Iranian Ministry of ICT have now blocked Telegram because Telegram Messenger LLP ignored their demand to provide them with "spying and censorship tools".[61][third-party source needed]

Use by terrorists

In September 2015, Telegram's Pavel Durov stated that he had no issues with terrorists using the app, as privacy is paramount and terrorists will always find another way to communicate.[62][63] In October 2015, Telegram has been recommended by the terrorist organisation ISIL,[64][65] which doubled the number of its followers on its official channel to 9,000.[66] In November 2015, Telegram announced that it had blocked 78 channels linked to ISIL, based on reports to the company's abuse email.[67][68] Telegram's public channels allow broadcasting messages to an unlimited number of people and were used by the IS to spread propaganda.[69] Telegram's usage by ISIL for propaganda purposes has reignited the encryption debate.[70]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Telegram". Google Play. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Telegram Messenger". App Store. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Releases v5.3.0". Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Telegram for macOS". Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Telegram Messenger on Play Store". Google Inc. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  6. ^ "Telegram Messenger on App Store". Apple Inc. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Telegram Messenger". Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  8. ^ a b c "List of Telegram applications". 6 February 2014.
  9. ^ "Telegram.org Site Info". Alexa, Inc. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Che cosa è Telegram, Squer.it" (in Italian).
  11. ^ "Telegram FAQ". 9 August 2015.
  12. ^ a b c Hakim, Danny (2 December 2014). "Once Celebrated in Russia, the Programmer Pavel Durov Chooses Exile". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  13. ^ a b c "Meet Telegram, A Secure Messaging App From The Founders Of VK, Russia's Largest Social Network". TechCrunch. 27 October 2013.
  14. ^ "Russia's Zuckerberg launches Telegram, a new instant messenger service". Reuters. 30 August 2013.
  15. ^ "Telegram - Android Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  16. ^ "Telegram Messenger on the App Store". App Store. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  17. ^ Thornhill, John (3 July 2015). "Lunch with the FT: Pavel Durov". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  18. ^ a b Brandom, Russell (6 October 2014). "Surveillance drives South Koreans to encrypted messaging apps". The Verge. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  19. ^ Telegram Hits 35M Monthly Users, 15M Daily With 8B Messages Received Over 30 Days, TechCrunch, 24 March 2014
  20. ^ Telegram Reaches 1 Billion Daily Messages, Telegram, 8 December 2014
  21. ^ Telegram Hits 2 Billion Messages Sent Daily, Telegram, 13 May 2015
  22. ^ Lomas, Natasha (21 September 2015). "Telegram Now Seeing 12BN Daily Messages, up From 1BN in February". Techcrunch. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  23. ^ a b Lopez, Miguel, Configurando Telegram en el iPhone, en la web y en el Mac (in Spanish), Applesfera, retrieved 4 December 2014 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ a b Munizaga, Jonathan (1 December 2014). "Telegram ya permite migrar conversaciones y contactos a una línea nueva" (in Spanish). Wayerless. Retrieved 2 December 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ a b Mateo, David G (1 December 2014). "Telegram ahora permite traspasar mensajes al cambiar de número" (in Spanish). TuExperto. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  26. ^ "Secure Messaging App Telegram Adds Usernames And Snapchat-Like Hold-To-View For Media". Techcrunch. 23 October 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  27. ^ "Basics". FAQ. Telegram. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  28. ^ a b c "How secure is Telegram?", FAQ, Telegram
  29. ^ "Telegram: una alternativa gratuita a WhatsApp con ventajas y algún punto oscuro" (in Spanish). 1 March 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ Channels, Telegram, 21 September 2015, retrieved 25 September 2015
  31. ^ Description of MTProto Mobile Protocol, Telegram
  32. ^ "Telegram FAQ". n.d. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  33. ^ Perfect Forward Secrecy, Telegram, 14 December 2014
  34. ^ Telegram Bot Platform, Telegram, 24 June 2015, retrieved 1 September 2015
  35. ^ Schellevis, Joost (23 July 2015). "Telegram-bots kunnen relatief ongemerkt meelezen in groepsgesprekken". Tweakers (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  36. ^ "Telegram technical FAQ for Advanced users".
  37. ^ "Source code", Telegram (links), retrieved 12 February 2013
  38. ^ "Pavel Durov: "No application is 100% safe"". Turing. ES: El Diario. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  39. ^ "Telegram, el chat que compite con Whatsapp". El País (in Spanish). UY. Retrieved 13 February 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  40. ^ http://aseman.co/en/products/cutegram/
  41. ^ "Telegram se actualiza para la pantalla del iPad" (in Spanish). Cnet. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  42. ^ "Telegram-Anleitung: So benutzt man den Messenger" (in German). Newsslash.
  43. ^ "Telegram se actualiza con compatibilidad para Android Wear" (in Spanish). Sevilla: ABC. Retrieved 7 December 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  44. ^ "Telegram Beta disponible para Windows Phone" (in Spanish). Wayerless. May 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  45. ^ a b "Apps". Telegram (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  46. ^ "Ngram se convierte en el cliente oficial de Telegram para Windows Phone" (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 May 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  47. ^ Hacker News: Telegram – secure, free messaging
  48. ^ "Secure Messaging Scorecard". Electronic Frontier Foundation. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  49. ^ Howell O'Neill, Patrick (5 November 2014). "The fight over EFF's Secure Messaging Scorecard". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  50. ^ Franceschi-Bicchierai, Lorenzo (24 February 2015). "Encryption Fails: When to Freak Out and When to Chill". VICE Motherboard. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  51. ^ Encryption Fails: When to Freak Out and When to Chill, Vice Motherboard, retrieved 8 August 2015
  52. ^ "Winter Contest Ends". Telegram. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  53. ^ "Crypto Contest Ends". Telegram. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  54. ^ Marlinspike, Moxie (19 December 2013). "A Crypto Challenge for the Telegram Developers". Thought Crime. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  55. ^ Wauters, Robin (19 December 2013). "Cracking contest: first one who breaks Telegram gets $200,000 in bitcoins (but really, nobody wins)". Tech.eu. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  56. ^ Hornby, Taylor (19 December 2013). "Telegram's Cryptanalysis Contest". Crypto Fails. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  57. ^ "تلگرام فیلتر نشده است" (in Persian). Tehran: Tasnim News Agency. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2015. Though it is claimed by many that the Telegram is banned, but it is operating normally in Iran.
  58. ^ a b Alimardani, Mahsa (28 August 2015). "Is Telegram's Compliance with Iran Compromising the Digital Security of Its Users?". Global Voices Online. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  59. ^ "Telegram FAQ". Telegram. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  60. ^ Pavel Durov [@durov] (20 October 2015). "@youyeganeh Iranian officials want to use @telegram to spy on their citizens. We can not and will not help them with that" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  61. ^ Pavel Durov [@durov] (20 October 2015). "@CDA Iranian ministry of ICT demanded that @telegram provided them with spying and censorship tools. We ignored the demand, they blocked us" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  62. ^ http://www.technbob.com/telegram-ceo-no-issue-with-isis-terrorist-using-app-1947179
  63. ^ Lomas, Natasha. "Telegram Now Seeing 12BN Daily Messages, Up From 1BN In February". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  64. ^ "Павел Дуров прокомментировал для CNN историю с подготовкой теракта через Telegram" (in Russian). Retrieved 20 de octubre de 2015. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |lastname= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |name= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |publish= ignored (help)
  65. ^ http://www.csoonline.com/article/3004648/security-awareness/after-paris-isis-moves-propaganda-machine-to-darknet.html
  66. ^ https://news.yahoo.com/isis-telegram-channel-doubles-followers-172356843.html
  67. ^ "Encrypted messaging app Telegram shuts down Islamic State propaganda channels". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  68. ^ "One app maker has shut down almost 80 secret channels used by ISIS to communicate". Business Insider. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  69. ^ "Secretive messaging app used by IS takes down posts". CNBC. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  70. ^ Sanger, David; Perlroth, Nicole (16 November 2015). "Encrypted Messaging Apps Face New Scrutiny Over Possible Role in Paris Attacks". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
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