Using bugs in development. Developing any

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IT product is a complex process, both technically and administratively. Bugs are inevitable. Messengers are no exception, even the most secure ones. For example, our Israeli colleague from the Check Point information security company discovered a vulnerability that allows you to gain full access to a Telegram or WhatsApp account. At the same time, it will be completely unnoticeable - the software did not even display a message about connecting from a new IP. To exploit this vulnerability, no special tools, hacker software or technical skills were required. The colleague honestly passed the information to the messengers' technical support, where the problem received the highest priority and was urgently fixed. However, no one can know how many people used this or other vulnerabilities and how many there are in total. Therefore, any service is a vulnerable system.

3. Using factors beyond the control of the messenger developer. Messenger communication is just one link in a huge chain consisting of end devices, operating systems, network protocols, communications equipment, and finland whatsapp number list telecom operators. The security of the chain is equal to the security of the most vulnerable component, which is actively used by attackers. For example, in 2016, an Iranian hacker group gained access to 12 accounts in the Telegram messenger via SMS authorization. In the spring of 2016, opposition politicians announced that accounts in the same messenger had been hacked. The investigation showed that MTS provided the authorized SMS code to Russian special services. It is possible to connect to most messengers in a similar way, and the problem is beyond the developer's responsibility.

I would like to note that in my article I do not touch upon the third party in the conflict between services and the government – ​​users. It is obvious that ordinary citizens will have to make an independent choice between privacy and security. In the meantime, a tendency to strengthen control over a wide variety of services can be noted throughout the world. It seems that Russia is following the global course in this matter.