FBI says Iranian hackers are using Telegram to steal data in malware attacks

An FBI alert warns that Iranian government-linked hackers are using social-engineering lures and malicious installers masquerading as legitimate apps (e.g., Telegram/WhatsApp) to deploy remote-access malware that connects infected systems to Telegram bots. The actors — allegedly linked to Iran’s MOIS and to groups like Handala — remotely control devices to exfiltrate files, capture screenshots, and record calls, targeting dissidents, opposition groups, and journalists globally.