Pierluigi Paganini
August 04, 2016
The Israeli security firm Intsights claims to have breached a Telegram group run by jihadists that were planning to attack a list of US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia.
The company announced to have hacked into a Telegram group on the dark web operated by ISIS members for propaganda and to plan operations. According to a report published by Channel 10, the group is composed of 500 leading activists.
It is a closed group and new members must be introduced by old ones. The group is used by Islamic State members who in turn introduce fellow Islamic State members
“I need to know someone who can vouch for me that I’m cleared for the group, and only then can I join.” said Alon Arvatz, Intsights Co-Founder.
Recently some of the targets have been hit by alleged members of the Islamic State, including the church in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, in Normandy, France. According to Arvatz, the call to organize an attack in Normandy was issued via the Telegram group a few months ago.
The company conducted HUMINT operations by infiltrating the Telegram Groups managed by the IS. On Monday the experts noticed that members of the group were sharing a list of “extremely specific targets” , “with a call to attack them.”
“Telegram is completely encrypted and there’s no fear (among its users) that someone will intercept the messages and understand what you wrote,” said Intsight.
The group it hacked is accessed by Islamic State members who in turn introduce fellow Islamic State members, he said. “I need to know someone who can vouch for me that I’m cleared for the group, and only then can I join.”
Obviously, the group would be closed down following the disclosure of the news.
A Channel 10 TV screenshot of the ISIS Telegram group
A Channel 10 TV screenshot apparently showing Islamic State’s Telegram internet group (Channel 10 screenshot)
It is curious to highlight that today I posted another news on Telegram and alleged security issues affecting it. Hackers accessed Telegram accounts in Iran and a security duo investigated the security breach, they will present its findings at the Black Hat Conference.
Arvatz explained that this week a member of the group uploaded a list of American air bases in the Persian Gulf and around the globe inviting other ISIS militants to attack these targets.
“A map uploaded to the Telegram group pinpoints air force bases in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and other countries of Western Europe, as well as Israeli air force bases.” reported the Times Of Israel.
“Among the high priority targets were air bases in Bahrain and Kuwait being used by the American-led coalition to strike Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq.”
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(Security Affairs – Telegram, ISIS)
