18 November 2022
Cybercriminal market in Telegram
Over the past few years, we've seen major cybercrime marketplaces disappear or lose the trust of their users. With users losing confidence in the anonymity offered by forums, illicit marketplaces are increasingly turning to Telegram. Messaging apps are easy to use, provide a fair degree of anonymity and have a simple registration process, making them a viable medium for cybercriminals to expand their market and reach new customers. Starting from Q2 2020, we can see a boost in the number of cybercrime-related Telegram messages; in 2021, user activity increased 3.5-fold. In this study, we analyzed the current state and maturity level of the market for cybercriminal services in Telegram channels and groups.