MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. Russian users of Telegram are being subjected to the biggest phishing attack since the cloud-based messenger’s inception, the In2security Telegram channel has reported.
"Perhaps, this is the most massive phishing attack on Russian Telegram users for the entire history of the messenger. The previous ones were much more limited and were much simpler in technical terms," the channel reported.
The attack aims to steal the accounts of Telegram users with the help of communications inviting them to access a fake list of people who will allegedly be liable for military mobilization on February 1-3, 2023, the channel said.
Sergey Golovanov, a Kaspersky Lab analyst, confirmed the attack to TASS.
"The communication has been sent out over the last few days. The links in the Telegram messages take people to a website that asks for data required to access their accounts on instant messaging apps," Golovanov told TASS.
If a user enters data and / or a one-time access code on that website, he may have his account stolen and messages compromised, the analyst revealed. He added that the scammers could then send phishing messages from the account, using the list of contacts.
Users are advised against entering their confidential data, including any access codes, he said. Two-factor authentication is recommended, clicking on suspicious links is strongly discouraged and it could help to install a security app that prevents the user from accessing phishing websites, the analyst said.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov in January 2023 has already refuted reports on Telegram channels that a new wave of the partial military mobilization for the special military operation was likely.