Telegram can expose long-lived user identifiers at the network layer

MTProto over unencrypted TCP can reveal auth_key_id, enabling tracking even without breaking Telegram message encryption

DO NOT use Telegram in sensitive applications. Telegram does not need to have its message encryption broken for users to be tracked at the network layer. Telegram sends MTProto over unencrypted TCP, exposing auth_key_id - a long-lived ident

Ranked #2 on backlist 2026-05-22 (22 May 2026 UTC) · by @lukOlejnik (Lukasz Olejnik) · view on X ↗

How it ranks: Backlist reads my Twitter/X timeline, scores every tweet for substance with an LLM rubric (not engagement), and publishes the daily top picks with a one-line takeaway. Curated by Surya Dantuluri.