In recent years, we’ve become familiar with ransomware attacks, where hackers infiltrate computer networks, encrypt files, and demand payment in exchange for restoring access. As these cybercriminal tactics evolved, attackers began stealing sensitive data in addition to encrypting it—using the threat of publishing that data on the dark web as additional leverage to extort victims.
Now, the landscape appears to be shifting once again. Cybercriminals are increasingly using more public platforms—most notably, Telegram—to leak stolen information as a way to prove their hacking claims and pressure victims. This new tactic serves both as a form of retaliation and a warning to potential future targets.
A recent cyberattack illustrates this emerging trend. A hacker posted what appears to be a stolen internal document on a public Telegram channel, framing it as a retaliatory act. The victim of the breach? Morocco’s Social Security Agency. According to the hacker, the attack was carried out in response to online harassment by Moroccan entities targeting Algeria on social media.
This claim suggests that the breach wasn’t purely financially motivated, but politically charged. The hacker further warned that if such digital hostility continues, more attacks could follow—indicating a tit-for-tat escalation in the cyber domain.
Initial investigations indicate that the compromised data includes personal records of pensioners and individuals applying for insurance benefits, specifically those employed in corporate and labor sectors. The sensitivity of this information raises serious concerns about privacy violations, phishing threats, and potential identity theft.
The broader geopolitical context adds another layer to the incident. Morocco and Algeria have long been locked in a diplomatic standoff over the Western Sahara region—a conflict that has spanned nearly a decade. What once was a territorial dispute has now spilled over into the digital world, with cyberattacks becoming a modern weapon in an ongoing political feud.
There is also growing speculation that state-sponsored hackers might be involved. If true, this incident could be an example of government-backed cyber warfare, where leaked data is strategically used to damage the reputation of a rival nation.
Leaks of this nature—especially when shared on widely accessible platforms like Telegram—pose significant threats beyond diplomatic tensions. Once exposed, the data becomes available to various malicious actors, opening the door to fraud, scams, and further exploitation.
This development underscores the evolving nature of cyber conflict, where the battlefield is no longer just hidden in code or closed dark web forums. Still, it is now moving into the open internet.
The post Hackers post stolen data on Telegram first appeared on Cybersecurity Insiders.
The post Hackers post stolen data on Telegram appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.
April 11, 2025 at 08:33PM
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