Tag: Session Hijacking

  • How Telegram Accounts Can Be Hacked Without an OTP: Risks and Prevention Strategies

    How Telegram Accounts Can Be Hacked Without an OTP: Risks and Prevention Strategies

    Telegram sends a one-time password (OTP) to verify new logins, but that alone does not guarantee account safety. Hackers, scammers, and even someone with brief physical access to your phone can still compromise a Telegram account without ever requesting that OTP. This risk affects everyone—casual users, business owners, and community channel managers alike. The methods typically exploit stolen sessions, malware, or lingering login sessions rather than breaking Telegram’s own systems.

    Understanding Telegram Account Security Risks

    Telegram allows a single account to remain logged in on multiple devices simultaneously, and each active session works without re-entering the OTP. If a hacker steals an active session—via malware on the device or a fake app that copies login credentials—they can instantly access the account. Security researchers warn that malicious files, often disguised as APKs on Android, can silently extract session data stored on the device. Once that data reaches an attacker, they can open Telegram as if they were the legitimate user, with no password or code required.

    Public Wi-Fi networks add another layer of vulnerability. Experts note that unsecured networks make it easier for attackers to intercept data flowing between a phone and Telegram’s servers, especially when using Telegram Web on a shared or public computer.

    Phishing remains a common threat on Telegram. A fake login page that looks identical to Telegram’s real site can trick users into entering their credentials directly, handing over access without any OTP involved.

    Steps to Keep Your Telegram Account Safe

    Adopting a few simple habits can significantly reduce the risk of such hacks:

    • Turn on Two-Step Verification in Telegram’s settings to add an extra password layer.
    • Add a passcode lock inside the app so it cannot be opened even on an unlocked phone.
    • Regularly check the Devices section and log out of any sessions you do not recognize.
    • Avoid downloading APK files or clicking links from unknown senders.
    • Keep the app updated, as Telegram regularly releases security patches.

    These measures together make it much harder for anyone to slip into your account unnoticed.

  • SpyCloud Report: Non-Hhuman Identities Emerge as Leading Enterprise Attack Vector

    SpyCloud Report: Non-Hhuman Identities Emerge as Leading Enterprise Attack Vector

    Survey Reveals Critical Gap Between Perceived and Actual Visibility into Machine Identities

    SpyCloud, a leader in identity threat protection, has released its annual 2026 Identity Threat Report, revealing that non-human identities (NHIs) — including AI agents, service accounts, API keys, and authentication tokens — have become the most common initial attack vector into enterprise systems. The report, based on a survey of 750 cybersecurity leaders and practitioners across North America, the UK, and select European markets, underscores a dangerous disconnect: while 95% of organizations believe they have adequate visibility into AI- and NHI-related exposures, only 36% actually monitor these identities.

    Key Findings: NHIs Outpace Phishing as Top Entry Point

    The survey found that compromised NHIs were the primary entry point for attacks in 31% of cases — nearly double the rate of phishing and social engineering (17%), which ranked second. NHI-related misuse also surfaced as the most common identity-based event type, reported by 42% of organizations. Yet, despite this prevalence, machine identities remain the least-monitored category of identity risk. In the same period, 68% of organizations experienced at least one identity-based event, with affected organizations averaging eight incidents each.

    Organizations typically maintain clear inventories of their human workforce, but few extend that oversight to service accounts, API keys, and AI agents. These identities are often provisioned for convenience, hold substantial privilege, and lack the lifecycle management that human accounts have. As Trevor Hilligoss, SpyCloud’s Chief Intelligence Officer, noted: “Every one of these identities is a standing invitation that renews itself until someone notices.”

    AI Adoption Outpaces Governance

    While 91% of organizations now use AI tools or agents with access to internal systems, only 56% have formal governance and ownership for the privileges these identities hold. Another 41% rely on informal processes or partial ownership, creating “shadow access” — privileged connections that operate outside normal governance and monitoring.

    Session Hijacking and Stolen Cookies Pose Growing Risk

    The report highlights that exposed session cookies and authentication tokens are becoming a preferred attack vector, allowing cybercriminals to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA). Organizations with visibility into stolen session data experienced identity-based events at a meaningfully lower rate (37%) compared to those without such visibility (50%). SpyCloud research confirms that session data has now overtaken passwords as the top target for attackers.

    Supply Chain Vulnerabilities Remain a Concern

    Third-party exposures are also a major concern. Malware-infected third-party devices (23%) and exposed API keys or application access involving vendors (22%) were the leading causes of supply chain identity events. Surprisingly, nearly 40% of organizations have no consistent process to confirm that third-party exposures are fully resolved, even as 32% plan to enhance supply chain and vendor risk management in the next 12 to 18 months.

    Automation and Continuous Monitoring Are Key Differentiators

    The report introduces SpyCloud’s Identity Threat Protection Maturity Model, categorizing organizations into four tiers: Reactive, Building, Operational, and Optimized. Findings show that organizations with high levels of automation report lower incident response costs (32% vs. 39%) and less loss of customer trust (36% vs. 47%) compared to those relying on manual remediation.

    “Most identity programs are still measured on whether an exposure happened. That’s the wrong scoreboard,” said Damon Fleury, Chief Product Officer at SpyCloud. “Organizations that pair continuous identity monitoring with automated remediation create the greatest friction for criminals and gain the biggest edge in preventing follow-on attacks.”

    About the Report

    The full 2026 SpyCloud Identity Threat Report is available without registration, and organizations can benchmark their security posture against the maturity model via a free assessment. SpyCloud, headquartered in Austin, TX, serves 7 of the Fortune 10 and hundreds of global enterprises, mid-sized companies, and government agencies.

    This is a paid press release published via CyberNewswire, a PR newswire syndication platform for cybersecurity companies.