Ever heard that moderation is a "propaganda word" for censorship?
That’s the reason Telegram gained immense fame. When WhatsApp’s privacy policy came under scrutiny, many people shifted to Telegram to find a way for encrypted and privacy-focused communication.
It also became a hub of illicit groups, scammers, and dark web operations, as it facilitated anonymity, larger groups, and better encryption.
The blog covers top dark web channels and forums and why you must protect your private data even when using the surface web.
Cybercriminals exploit Telegram's anonymity and encryption to create channels that function like dark web marketplaces.
These platforms facilitate the exchange of
The presence of your data in these channels increases your risk of identity theft, financial fraud, and other cybercrimes. Here are some of the names you should stay aware of:
These channels are known for distributing stolen credentials, including URLs, emails, IPs, passwords, and usernames. It offers both free and paid services, facilitating widespread access to compromised data for account takeovers and identity theft.
It’s a pro-Russian hacktivist group that mainly conducts DDoS attacks. It is also known to provide services to coordinate cyberattacks and recruit volunteers, exposing personal information in the process.
It is a pro-Palestinian hacktivist group targeting Israel and its allies with advanced DDoS tools, website defacement, and data leaks.
This channel aggregates and republishes leaked credentials, acting as a central hub for stolen data. The channel mostly has data that was once part of a data breach.
It is known to distribute stolen credentials obtained from malware, providing real-time logs and a large database of compromised records. The sale and distribution of these logs increases the risk of unauthorized access to personal accounts.
Tracks and shares information about ongoing breaches. While the platform is not intended to harm the community, some criminals might use it to exploit leaked data..
If your financial information is compromised, then there is a high chance that it might be found here. It’s a marketplace for stolen credit card data, often distributing visible card numbers for fraudulent transactions.
This group discusses data breaches and shares compromised credentials, including stolen account sales and malware deployment, indicating a high risk of exposure. It is also a marketplace for stolen information.
A group known to promote hacking services and conduct DDoS attacks. It has also collaborated with other threat actors, which increases the risk of widespread data breaches.
Targets critical infrastructure and industrial control systems, posing a significant threat to sensitive data and cybersecurity.
Receive timely alerts and actionable insights with PurePrivacy's Dark Web Monitoring.
Telegram is gaining criticism due to rising criminal activities, weak content moderation, and minimal cooperation with law enforcement. The platform has become a hub for illicit trade, including drug sales, financial fraud, weapons distribution, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Although the platform has taken action against illegal content, there is a rising criticism that the efforts made by Telegram are reactive rather than proactive, with little participation in industry-wide initiatives to combat CSAM.
Plus, while it offers end-to-end encryption in "Secret Chats," most group communications remain
unencrypted. Law enforcement agencies in France and Belgium have expressed frustration over Telegram’s refusal to respond to legal requests, which played a key role in the arrest of its CEO, Pavel Durov, on charges related to complicity in criminal transactions.
If Telegram continues to resist cooperation with authorities, people will see it as a place for criminals, not a safe place for privacy and free speech.
How to Get Unbanned from Telegram
There are Telegram channels that share information about cybersecurity threats and data breaches. These channels can be useful for information gathering and staying informed, but you must remember that these channels could also have members whose motive is to gather and exploit your data.
Well-known on Twitter, vx underground offers a collection of malware samples, research papers, and cybersecurity insights as a valuable educational platform for security researchers and enthusiasts. The platform promotes community awareness about data breaches and recent cyber threats.
This channel focuses on ethical hacking, sharing information about vulnerabilities, code reviews, and hacking tips. It acts as a guide for ethical hackers.
Breached Data provides updates on sensitive data leaks, including security pins, phone numbers, and passwords. Works to raise awareness about global data breaches.
It is a directory of links to popular onion sites on the Tor network, offering a resource for finding onion links to various dark web websites.
It provides resource material for educational purposes and has many subscribers.
It is a directory of onion links for the Tor browser and provides a source for authentic dark web links.
Not necessarily! Telegram's encryption, large group capacities, and anonymity make it attractive to cybercriminals, and these features facilitate the exchange of stolen data, hacking tools, and other illicit activities. Because of this, there are chances that if your data was a part of a data breach, it could end up being sold or shared on Telegram channels.
Also, Telegram is used for scams and malware distribution, which can lead to your data being stolen. Plus, malicious actors may use Telegram for phishing attempts or distribute malware that steals data.
Data is the new gold! Whether you have accessed the dark web or not, you are prone to exploitation such as data leaks, tracking, unwanted ads, and blackmailing.
Plus, when organizations with your data are compromised, your sensitive details can end up on the dark web, resulting in multiple exploitations.
PureVPN’s Dark Web Monitoring tracks the critical identifiers that might have ended up on the dark web so you can take the necessary precautions before your sensitive data is misused.
7. Take the recommended steps if your data is part of a breach.
8. You can also mark breaches as resolved.
You can not access Telegram in some countries where it has been banned due to government censorship and legal regulations. If you want to access Telegram, then you can use PureVPN and bypass regional barriers without getting banned.
Telegram offers different levels of privacy. Secret Chats use end-to-end encryption, although the standard group chats and channels are not end-to-end encrypted, and Telegram technically has access to that data. Also, Telegram collects specific user data. You must read and understand the privacy policy before using any platform.
Yes, you can, but you must stay extremely cautious. Although some groups are made for education and community awareness, some malicious actors are working diligently to gather your data, which might later be used for malicious intent.
No. The dark web carries greater risks. If your data is leaked once, you are vulnerable to hacking, malware, and identity theft. You must monitor your data with PureVPN’s Dark Web Monitoring to prevent future damage.
Yes. All online platforms can leak your data due to poor security measures, data breaches, hacking, internal vulnerabilities, or other factors.
Accessing the internet with complete freedom is all that we want. But if freedom comes at the cost of data being compromised, then it is too expensive. Telegram or any other communication network can be of great benefit to us, but remember, when it comes to accessing the dark web, you must stay vigilant.
Monitor, track, and manage your critical personal information with PureVPN Dark Web Monitoring!