Bangladesh: Anti-Terror Cops Accused of Selling Citizen Data on Telegram

Two top Bangladeshi anti-terror police personnel are accused of selling classified and confidential citizen data to criminals using Telegram, according to a report.

TechCrunch reported that the head of Bangladesh's National Telecommunications Monitoring Center, Brigadier General Mohammad Baker, wrote that the two police personnel sold national identifying details, mobile phone call logs, and other secret information.

Bake noted that their department is investigating the cases and stressed that the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered penalizing the two violating police personnel.

Suspects Sold Private Data for Profit

According to the Bengali letter, dated April 28, to the senior secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Public Security Division, the two police agents obtained and sold private individuals' Telegram data for profit. Investigators identified the agents by examining the NTMC's system records and noticing their frequent data access.

One accused is a police superintendent with the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU), while the other is an assistant police superintendent deputy with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB 6), which the U.S. sanctioned in 2021 for unlawful deaths and disappearances. The report has hid the accused's identities due to potential charges.

The NTMC, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, monitors and intercepts communications to protect national security. Human Rights Watch and Freedom House have criticized it for missing privacy and free expression protections.

The National Intelligence Platform (NIP) of the NTMC stores classified citizen data such as national IDs, mobile phone numbers, and criminal profiles. Several law enforcement agencies use this platform. The investigation determined that the implicated agents were more likely to access and gather useless data.

The letter requests a comprehensive investigation to identify individuals involved and take necessary action. Baker said one Telegram group administrator tried to sell the data. While the investigation continues, ATU and RAB 6 users are prohibited from using NIP until the authorities are found and punished.

Telegram: Scammers Paradise?

Security company Guardio found that online criminals use Telegram, an encrypted messaging platform with over a billion downloads and 700 million monthly active users, to promote and sell third-party phishing kits.

The cybersecurity platform said bad actors use Telegram to market phishing kits to steal Netflix, Spotify, Facebook, Citi, Capital One, and Bank of America logins. Telegram's affordable and accessible kits make it a "scammer's paradise," according to the research, PC Mag reported.

Guardio observed that the phishing tools may deliver stolen data to the fraudster via Telegram and include phishing support groups. Hacker News first reported this.

Moreover, the most complex Telegram phishing kits may construct bogus proxy pages that link to real websites, allowing fraudsters to overcome two-factor authentication and harvest victims' data.

The popular messaging app is also being utilized by fraudsters to sell social media accounts, credit cards, and bank account logins, Guardio found.

In light of these threats, Google offers some important tips to protect users' online data. the tech giant advises to install the most recent OS and updates, per Unbox. Updating devices protects against attacks by adding new security features.

Moreover, Android users should enable Google Play Protect to protect their devices and data against fraudulent applications and behavior. Every Google account comes with a free password manager that helps generate, save, and manage safe passwords. Password Manager checks stored passwords for vulnerabilities and data breaches.

Google also recommends running regular security checks with the Security Checkup tool to identify vulnerabilities across linked devices and third-party app access to improve online security.

To avoid sharing unwanted data, users are advised to routinely check their data settings across all applications and accounts. Furthermore, Google suggests avoiding clicking questionable links.