Telegram Faces Ban In India After Hacker Uses Chatbots to Leak Insurer’s Data

The social networking app Telegram faces risk of a ban in India as it was recently used in a major data leak. India’s largest health insurer Star Health and Allied Insurance was compromised as customers’ data surfaced across the app via chatbots. This data leak has garnered additional scrutiny to one of the most renowned social networking services in light of its CEO Pavel Durov’s recent legal tussle in France.

Telegram Risks Ban In India After Rising Use In Illicit Activities

According to a recent Reuters report, Star Health, a company with a market cap exceeding $4 billion, has been impacted by a cyber attack. Customers’ data has been stolen and is now available to the general masses via chatbots on Telegram (TG). Data of millions of people were made available for sale, with the chatbots even offering samples. This data included names, phone numbers, addresses, tax details, copies of ID cards, test results, and medical diagnoses, raising severe concerns nationwide.

Meanwhile, the health insurer said that it reported to the local authorities about the illicit data breach. The TG chatbots used in the data leak claim they are by ‘xenZen.’ “If this bot gets taken down watch out and another one will be made available in few hours,” the bot stated. This further raises concerns over Telegram’s unmatched use and efficiency in illegal activities, urging authorities to take strict actions.

Notably, the data leak is not the first of its kind to have raised legal scrutiny on the app in India. Nationwide reports spotlighted that the Indian government launched an investigation into TG‘s use in extortion and gambling the previous month. The Indian government may also choose to ban the app, depending on what the probe’s findings reveal. Star Health data breach has added further reason to this chronicle.

Pavel Durov’s Arrest Becomes Catalyst For App’s Downfall?

Meanwhile, Telegram’s immense legal scrutiny started recently as its CEO, Pavel Durov, was arrested in France. The arrest also came as a wider part of the social networking app’s use in illicit activities. Nevertheless, Durov was released, although he currently remains under judicial supervision.

However, the arrest is what sparked a domino effect for the app globally. Numerous nations, including India, France, and S. Korea continue to tighten their grip on TG over its use in Illicit activities, risking a ban in numerous regions.

Nonetheless, it’s also notable that TG also updated its policies after Durov’s arrest, underscoring efforts to comply with global norms. The policy update was on illegal content, clearly aligning with the firm’s recent legal backlash. Users on the platform continue to await further legal findings as the app’s future remains shrouded in uncertainty.