Phone numbers of Facebook users have been leaked with the help of a Telegram bot and reportedly, all the contact details were put on the web for sale. Alon Gal, a security researcher, found the vulnerability. According to Gal, the person who got access to the database full of contact details of its users through the bot has information of an estimated 533 million Facebook users.
To have access to the database, someone needs to have technical knowledge and skill. Often, there has to be a connection and communication between the owner of the database and the one who wants the information. But with the help of a bot, there are no particular impediments like these.
How Does The Bot Obtain Information Of Facebook Users?
The Telegram bot, which successfully acquired millions of contact numbers, is able to get hold of data surreptitiously and with accuracy. The mentioned bot helps someone to find the contact number of a user from the user’s Facebook ID. According to a report, having hold of the information is costly as well. Obtaining the data may cost one credit which is being sold for $20. Reportedly, 10,000 credits are being sold for the amount of $5,000.
According to Gal, the Telegram bot is probably being used from 21st January 2021. Gal also informed that the bot is obtaining information for the year 2019. Though it may seem to be old data, in most cases, phone numbers remain the same for years. It is surely concerning for Facebook, the social media giant, whose users are facing all these security issues. Even Facebook uses who have two-factor authentication in their profile are not spared.
While the stolen data is being misused on the web still now, we are hopeful that security researchers will contact Telegram and take the necessary steps to retrieve the data.
