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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested in France
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
French authorities arrested Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging app, Telegram, at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday evening. The 39-year-old is scheduled to appear in court on Sunday.
According to Reuters , the arrest stems from a preliminary investigation surrounding the alleged allowing of crimes to take place on the platform due to a lack of moderation.
An official statement by Telegram, which can be seen on the company’s official X account , reads, “Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”
While Telegram has been criticized before for enabling the spread of harmful content , its significance as a crucial information source in regions with heavy censorship is also largely discussed .
The Russian embassy in France has reportedly condemned Durov’s arrest, accusing French authorities of violating his rights and denying consular access, although Durov is a French citizen.
Many have criticized Durov’s arrest as a reflection of Western attempts to control information. Russian lawmaker Maria Butina, who previously served time in a U.S. prison for acting as an unregistered Russian agent, told Reuters, “Pavel Durov is a political prisoner — a victim of a witch-hunt by the West.”
Elon Musk, CEO of the platform X, posted his reaction to the arrest in a post that reads, “POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme.”
Image by Roy Luck, from Wikimedia Commons
US Oil Giant Halliburton Targeted in Cyberattack
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
After two days of speculation, Halliburton, a leading oil drilling and fracking company, confirmed it shut down some internal systems following a cyberattack earlier this week, according to CNN .
In a statement filed with government regulators on Thursday, Halliburton disclosed that unauthorized access to its systems was detected on Wednesday.
The cyberattack, first reported by Reuters , appears to have impacted business operations at Halliburton’s north Houston campus and some global connectivity networks.
To prevent further complications, the company has advised employees to avoid connecting to internal networks. Halliburton’s response included restoring affected systems and assessing the full impact of the breach.
TechCrunch notes that such measures are common following cyberattacks, aiming to prevent intruders from gaining further access.
On Thursday, CNN reported that the Energy Department indicated there were no signs of disruption to energy services.
However, cybersecurity experts have expressed concern about the attack’s severity. Jackie Singh, a cybersecurity researcher, told CNN that Halliburton’s decision to take systems offline suggests a severe ransomware attack involving potentially virulent malware.
Reuters noted that hackers typically offer victims a key in return for cryptocurrency payments, which can reach hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. If the victim resists, hackers may threaten to leak confidential data to increase pressure.
Halliburton has declined to provide details about the attack, leaving the extent of its impact unclear.
SC Magazine reports that cybersecurity expert Richard Caralli warns that the Halliburton cyberattack likely exploited basic security oversights, not advanced hacking techniques. He noted that the attackers probably took advantage of simple, preventable errors due to lapses in fundamental security practices.
“These attacks often succeed not because of advanced technology, but because of mistakes, misconfigurations, and a lack of continuous evaluation,” Caralli said.
