Security Tips: How to Prevent Your Telegram Account from Being Hijacked

Conclusion: To protect your Telegram account, absolutely avoid sharing your personal mobile number and verification code.

Why Can Sharing Screenshots Lead to Account Theft?

When someone asks you for a screenshot, it might inadvertently contain the verification code for logging into your account. Telegram has implemented security measures in its iOS client where verification codes automatically expire if exposed in a screen recording or screenshot. However, this protection might not be available on Web clients, other desktop clients, or Android devices. Therefore, please remain vigilant.

Understanding the Account Hijacking Process

Step One: Obtaining Your Mobile Number

Account hijackers typically obtain your mobile number through the following methods:

1. Phishing/Social Engineering: They might ask you to directly send your mobile number, citing reasons like lifting private chat restrictions.
2. Adding Contacts: If you do not uncheck the "Share my mobile number" option when adding contacts, the account hijacker will be able to see your mobile number.

If the account hijacker fails to obtain your mobile number, the subsequent steps cannot proceed.

Step Two: Logging into Your Account

The account hijacker will attempt to log into your account from their device. Telegram will then send the verification code to your active device. The verification code message often contains keywords like "Login" or "give." The hijacker will ask you to search for these keywords within Telegram to locate the verification code message and then ask you to screenshot and send it to them. Once they have the verification code, they can proceed to log into your account.

Even if Telegram hides the verification code on the main chat screen, the hijacker might still instruct you to open the message and take a screenshot, thus revealing the code. If you haven't enabled two-step verification, they will successfully log into your account. However, if two-step verification is enabled, they would additionally need to enter the password you set.

Step Three: Actions After Account Hijacking

Once the account hijacker successfully logs in, they may perform the following actions:

• Terminate your active sessions
• View your saved data
• Transfer channels and groups you created to their account
• Delete your account

At this point, your account will effectively no longer be yours.

Potential Losses After Account Hijacking

1. Impersonate you to contact your contacts and conduct scams
2. View your private data, such as saved messages and private channels
3. Transfer your groups and channels
4. Use your account to post spam or advertisements
5. Other malicious activities

Summary of Security Advice

1. Absolutely never share your mobile number.
2. Absolutely never reveal the verification code.

Understanding Telegram's Registration and Login Logic

Registration Logic

1. Initial registration must be done using the official mobile client, and the verification code will be sent to your mobile phone.
2. When attempting to register via a desktop client, the system will prompt you to use your mobile device for registration.
3. When using a third-party client, it might prompt to send a verification code, but the SMS might not be received reliably.

Login Logic

1. When a registered account attempts to log in again, the verification code will be sent directly to an already logged-in device (Telegram app notification).
2. If two-step verification is not enabled, login requires only your mobile number and the verification code.
3. If two-step verification is enabled, login requires your mobile number, the verification code, and your two-step verification password.

By following these security tips, you can effectively prevent your Telegram account from being hijacked and protect your personal privacy and information security.