Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are not progress—they are a tool for control. Unlike cash or decentralized cryptocurrencies, CBDCs give governments unprecedented power to monitor, restrict, and even freeze your money at will. Every transaction could be tracked, spending habits analyzed, and dissent punished by cutting off access to funds.
Worse, programmable CBDCs could enforce expiration dates on money, dictate where you can spend it, or impose negative interest rates to force consumption. This isn’t financial innovation—it’s financial authoritarianism.
We are not tokens in the ledger of bureaucrats and politicians. Human dignity, autonomy, and the right to privacy should never be reduced to lines of code in a government database. Money is more than just data—it represents our labor, our choices, and our freedom. Turning it into a surveillance tool treats people like programmable assets rather than sovereign individuals.
If we value privacy, freedom, and true economic sovereignty, we must reject CBDCs before it’s too late. Once they’re in place, escaping this digital surveillance state will be nearly impossible.
MONEY AS MEAN OF CONTROL
China’s Social Credit System (SCS) and its potential integration with Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) is a growing concern for privacy and financial freedom advocates. While no country has yet fully implemented a CBDC with explicit social scoring like China’s SCS, the technological infrastructure of CBDCs makes such control possible.
Here are some resources discussing the risks of programmable CBDCs and their potential for surveillance and behavior control:
China’s Social Credit System & Digital Yuan (e-CNY)
Let’s talk about the one tech channel that’s actually changing the world while teaching you microsoldering:
LOUIS ROSSMANN (@rossmanngroup) – THE PEOPLE’S TECH WARRIOR This YouTuber simultaneously running a successful repair business while leading a consumer rights movement
Board repair streams (real-time problem solving)
Right-to-repair legislative updates
Brutal takedowns of anti-consumer tech practices
Signature Rossmann-isms:
“This is why we can’t have nice things”
“The free market will sort it out” (said while rolling eyes)
That one laugh he does when Apple does something predictably awful
To find out more about this topic you can find more info on Louis Linktree
https://linktr.ee/louisrossmann
While you’re watching Rossmann, don’t miss these other tech truth-tellers:
Explaining Computers: The Most Trusted Voice in Tech Education (Christopher Barnatt)
If you want clear, hype-free tech insights without the usual YouTube sensationalism, Christopher Barnatt’s Explaining Computers is the channel you’ve been searching for. Why This Channel Stands Out:
No Fluff, No Drama – Just deeply researched, well-structured tech explanations Future-Focused – Covers emerging tech before it’s trending (quantum computing, SBCs, AI ethics) The Perfect Balance – Technical enough for enthusiasts, accessible enough for beginners Must-Watch Series:
"Future of Computing" (Annual updates on next-gen tech)
Raspberry Pi Deep Dives (Projects beyond the basics)
"Explaining the Future" (AI, blockchain, and paradigm shifts)
Who It’s For:
Learners who hate clickbait
Developers exploring SBCs (RPi, Pico, etc.)
Anyone who wants to understand tech, not just use it
Fun Fact: Barnatt is a former university lecturer – and it shows in his methodical approach.
What’s your favorite Explaining Computers video? Mine’s his Post-Quantum Cryptography breakdown.
NetworkChuck: The Most Electrifying Tech Educator on YouTube (And Why You Should Watch)
If you think networking and cybersecurity sound boring, NetworkChuck will change your mind in 30 seconds flat. This is tech education with the energy of a double espresso shot! Why He Stands Out:
Charisma Overload: Makes subnetting as exciting as a Marvel movie
Hands-On Labs: From hacking his own coffee maker to building a $100 homelab
"You Can Do IT!" Philosophy: Breaks down imposter syndrome while teaching Linux cli
Must-Watch Series:
"you suck at Linux" (The tough love Linux tutorial we all needed)
Hacking Challenges (Ethical hacking with actual hacksplaining)
Homelab Evolution (Watch his lab grow from Raspberry Pis to a full rack)
Best For:
IT newbies who need motivation
Career-changers entering tech
Anyone who learns better with memes than textbooks
David Bombal: The Dark Horse of Tech Education (Why He Belongs in Your Watchlist)
While others entertain, Bombal forges engineers. Here’s why this Cisco whisperer deserves your attention:
The Bombal Difference:
CCNP-Level Tutorials for Free: Teaches enterprise networking like you're shadowing a senior engineer
Packet Tracer Sorcery: Makes complex protocols visceral with live CLI demonstrations
No Hype, All Substance: 2-hour deep dives where other creators would make 10 clickbait videos
Hidden-Gem Content: ▸ “GNS3 vs EVE-NG” wars (The emulator showdown we needed) ▸ Python for Network Engineers (Actual usable scripts, not just print(“Hello World”)) ▸ Wireshark Forensic Challenges (Where your “Aha!” moments turn into job skills)
Who It’s For:
Network engineers tired of surface-level content
Career-changers needing enterprise-grade skills
Anyone who thinks "show interface" counts as a personality trait
Pro Move: Watch his live network troubleshooting streams to see how a CCIE approaches problems in real time.
Bombal vs The Algorithm: While others chase views, he’s busy:
Interviewing Vint Cerf, the “Father of the Internet” about IPv6
Debunking network marketing scams with RFC receipts
Building full SD-WAN labs most schools wouldn’t teach
This post is inspired by SKG (Stop Killing Games petition) but not limited to particular industry, activity or location! If you would like to find more about it & sign it up you can do so HERE.
About SKG & digital ownership petiton
This initiative calls to require publishers that sell or license videogames to consumers in the European Union (or related features and assets sold for videogames they operate) to leave said videogames in a functional (playable) state.
Specifically, the initiative seeks to prevent the remote disabling of videogames by the publishers, before providing reasonable means to continue functioning of said videogames without the involvement from the side of the publisher.
The initiative does not seek to acquire ownership of said videogames, associated intellectual rights or monetization rights, neither does it expect the publisher to provide resources for the said videogame once they discontinue it while leaving it in a reasonably functional (playable) state.
“You’ll own nothing and be happy” is a phrase published by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The phrase is based on a 2016 essay by Ida Auken (Socialist from Denmark) of Denmark, published by the WEF, about a future in which a hypothetical person relies on the sharing economy for many of their needs.
This dystopian vision normalizes dispossession under the guise of convenience—replacing ownership with perpetual rentals, subscriptions, and corporate control. True autonomy requires property rights; happiness shouldn’t depend on having nothing to call your own.
Proposed by modern day socialist, mega corporations and goverments, lack of ownership is not liberation —it’s surrender. No ownership means no control: over your possessions, your data, or your life. When everything is rented, permission-based, or AI-managed, freedom becomes a subscription service. In the modern era, when we should be able to have freedom of choice, ownership is the foundation of self-determination. Without ownership we lose freedom to modify, repair, or reject what’s imposed on you. Happiness without autonomy is just compliance with a smile.
REFUSE! RESIST! RECLAIM!
Utopia of convenience — no maintenance, no clutter, just seamless access to goods and services. But peel back the glossy futurism, and you’ll find a darker truth: a world where ownership disappears is a world where power concentrates.
The Illusion of Liberation
Proponents argue that ownership is a burden: why own a car when you can Uber, a house when you can Airbnb, or music when you can stream? But this isn’t freedom—it’s feudalism with a digital veneer. When you rent everything, your autonomy rents too. You can’t modify, repair, or refuse upgrades. Your access depends on algorithms, corporate policies, and the whims of landlords—both physical and digital. The Endgame: Monopoly by Default
If individuals own nothing, someone else owns everything. Imagine:
Housing: A handful of institutional landlords dictate your lease terms.
Transportation: Ride-share surges and self-driving tolls replace car ownership.
Data: Your digital life is licensed back to you via subscriptions.
This isn’t speculation—it’s already happening. Private equity buys up homes. Tech giants lock creativity behind paywalls. Even farmers can’t repair tractors they “license.” The goal? A perpetual revenue stream from a society of permanent renters.
The Alternative: Ownership as Resistance
True freedom requires property—not just possessions, but control over your life. History’s greatest emancipations—from land reform to digital open-source movements—were about distributing ownership, not abolishing it.
The choice isn’t between clutter and convenience. It’s between a society of sovereign individuals and a world where a few oligarchs own the infrastructure of existence. If we don’t fight to own, we’ll end up owned.
Governments and economists often frame property taxes as a fair and necessary way to fund public services. But beneath the surface, property taxes function as a perpetual rent paid to the state—undermining true ownership and eroding personal freedom.
The Myth of True Ownership
When you buy a house or land, you’re told it’s yours. But if you stop paying property taxes, the government can seize it. This means you never truly own your property—you merely rent it from the state. Unlike a mortgage, which you eventually pay off, property taxes are forever. Miss enough payments, and you’ll face liens, fines, and ultimately, eviction.
This system turns the foundational right of property — a cornerstone of liberty — into a conditional privilege.
Taxation as a Tool of Control
Property taxes don’t just fund roads and schools—they enforce dependence. Governments can:
Increase rates at will, pricing people out of their homes (see: gentrification).
Dictate land use through tax incentives or penalties (e.g., punishing undeveloped land).
Displace communities when rising assessments make ownership unsustainable.
In effect, you don’t control your property — the state does. It decides how much you must pay to keep it, how you should use it, and whether you’re allowed to stay.
The Freedom Alternative
Real ownership means no perpetual financial obligation to the state. Alternatives exist:
Abolish or cap property taxes, replacing them with voluntary or consumption-based models.
Expand homestead exemptions to protect primary residences.
Decentralize governance so communities, not distant bureaucrats, set tax policies.
Conclusion: Reclaiming Actual Ownership
If you must pay forever to keep your property, you don’t own it—you’re leasing it from the government. True freedom requires absolute ownership, where your home, land, and assets can’t be taken over a tax bill.
The choice is clear: Either we restore real property rights, or we accept that we’re just tenants on our own land.
Not all treasure is silver and gold. – Jack Sparrow
In the digital age, the line between buying and licensing has blurred. Consumers often believe they own the media they purchase—whether it’s an e-book, a movie, or a video game—only to discover they’ve merely bought a license to access it. If corporations can redefine ownership, then why can’t consumers redefine piracy?
The Illusion of Ownership
When you “buy” a digital product, you’re often just paying for conditional access. Companies can revoke licenses (like Amazon deleting purchased e-books), lock content behind DRM, or shut down services, rendering your purchases useless. If you don’t truly own what you paid for, then piracy isn’t theft—it’s reclamation. In the age of Netflix, Spotify, and cloud-based gaming, ownership is becoming obsolete. Why buy a movie, album, or game when you can stream it instantly? But convenience comes at a cost—we’re trading true ownership for temporary access, and in the process, we’re losing real value. You Don’t Own Anything When you buy a DVD, a vinyl record, or a physical game, it’s yours forever. But streaming services can remove content at any time—movies disappear from libraries, songs get delisted, and games are taken offline. You’re not a collector; you’re a renter. The Illusion of Choice Streaming platforms control what you see. Algorithms push certain content while burying others, and licensing deals dictate what stays or goes. When you owned media, you curated your own collection. Now, corporations curate it for you. Higher Long-Term Costs A $15 monthly subscription seems cheap—until you realize you’ve spent hundreds over the years with nothing to show for it. Buying a movie once might cost more upfront, but you keep it forever. With streaming, you pay forever and own nothing. Lost Cultural Artifacts Physical media preserves culture. Books go out of print, films are edited or censored, and music gets pulled for licensing disputes. If we rely solely on streaming, future generations may lose access to art that corporations decide isn’t profitable.
Piracy as a Response to Broken Systems
If corporations treat purchases as temporary rentals, why should consumers respect artificial scarcity? Piracy thrives when access is restricted, prices are inflated, or content is region-locked. Many pirates aren’t thieves—they’re frustrated customers denied real ownership.
Not only software
Nintendo is infamous for its aggressive—some would say ruthless—crackdown on piracy and copyright infringement. From lawsuits against ROM sites to hacking lawsuits that bankrupt individuals, the company has earned a reputation for defending its IP with an iron fist.
A History of Legal Battles
In the 2000s, Nintendo sued emulator sites like LoveROMs and EmuParadise, forcing them to remove thousands of games.
They targeted modders and hackers, even going after people selling modified consoles.
In 2018, a court ordered a ROM site owner to pay Nintendo $12 million in damages—a clear warning to pirates.
Modern Enforcement
Nintendo still actively DMCA’s fan projects, mods, and even YouTube videos featuring ripped game music. Their stance is simple: zero tolerance. While critics argue this hurts preservation and fair use, Nintendo insists piracy threatens their business.
The Result?
Nintendo’s strict policies have reduced large-scale piracy of their games, but they’ve also fueled resentment among fans who believe the company is too controlling. One thing’s certain: if you pirate Nintendo games, expect consequences.
Right to Repair vs. Software Piracy
As the Right to Repair movement gains momentum, it highlights a growing tension between corporate control and consumer freedom. Many manufacturers use software locks, DRM, and proprietary tools to prevent users from fixing their own devices—effectively forcing them into authorized (and often expensive) repair channels.
When Piracy Becomes a Workaround
Some users resort to cracked software, hacked firmware, or unauthorized tools to bypass these restrictions and regain control over their devices. While corporations label this as piracy, many see it as self-defense against artificial repair barriers.
The Ethical Dilemma
Corporations argue that circumventing software locks is theft, risking security and profits.
Advocates counter that if companies refuse to provide repair access, users have a moral right to find alternatives—even if that means “pirating” their own devices.
The Future of Ownership
As right-to-repair laws slowly progress, the line between piracy and liberation remains blurred. Should consumers have the freedom to modify what they own—even if it means breaking digital locks? The debate isn’t just about legality—it’s about who truly controls our devices.
A Sticker Worth Sticking
The phrase “When Purchasing Isn’t Ownership, Piracy Isn’t Theft” isn’t an endorsement of piracy—it’s a critique of an industry that prioritizes control over consumer rights. If companies won’t sell us real ownership, why should we play by their rules?
One of the web’s special powers is its composability. Web pages include a variety of different resources, potentially from multiple origins.
Blink serves as the rendering engine for Chromium-based browsers, (Chrome, Android WebView, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Brave)
A rendering engine that transforms HTML, CSS and JavaScript code—along with images and other resources —into web pages you can view and interact with.
Blink begins the rendering process by gathering all necessary resources such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, videos, and images. To retrieve these resources, Blink manages interactions with the network stack, in Chromium and the underlying operating system.
As soon as CSS and HTML is loaded, Blink transform that code, in the form of text, into a representation it can work with—that’s called parsing. JavaScript also needs to be parsed and then executed.
Once all that’s done, Blink can then begin the work of laying out and displaying web pages that you can view and interact with. This is rendering.
The following diagram shows the stages in the pipeline of rendering tasks, including the components, processes, and resources involved in each. Blink has a lot of work to do! Blink rendering pipeline, with arrows that indicate progress through stages.
The Blink rendering pipeline has resource loader, scripts APIs, and HTML/CSS parsing. This progresses through multiple stages towards drawing pixels on the screen.
Render Graphics
Blink uses the open-source Skia graphics engine to interact with the underlying graphics hardware of a computer or a mobile device.
Skia provides common APIs that work across a variety of hardware and software platforms. It serves as the graphics engine for Google Chrome and many other products.
Instead of trying to support different operating systems and devices, while keeping up with platform changes, Skia uses graphics libraries including OpenGL, Vulkan, and DirectX. The library Skia uses depends on the platform it’s running on, such as Android on mobile or Windows on desktop. Parse and execute JavaScript
To parse and execute JavaScript and WebAssembly code, Blink uses V8, an open-source engine developed by the Chromium projects.
V8 makes it possible for a developer to use JavaScript or WebAssembly code to access the capabilities of the underlying browser. For example: to manipulate the Document Object Model, which is the internal representation of a document that Blink builds from HTML code.
V8 processes JavaScript in accordance with the JavaScript standard, known as ECMAScript. Rendering to standards
V8 processes JavaScript in accordance with the JavaScript standard, known as ECMAScript. Rendering engines like Blink are designed to interoperably implement web standards. Web standards allow developers and end-users to be confident that web pages work well, no matter what browser they’re using.
Blink follows the specifications for browser and language features defined in web standards including HTML, CSS and DOM.
HTML and the DOM
The HTML Standard defines how browser engineers should implement HTML elements. The specification for each HTML element includes a section that defines the DOM interface for the element. This details how JavaScript should be implemented by the browser, to allow interaction with the element in a way that’s standardized across devices and platforms.
The interface specification is written in WebIDL: Web Interface Definition Language. The following WebIDL is part of the HTML standard’s definition of the HTMLImageElement.
WebIDL is a standardized way of describing functional interfaces, like those that make up most web standards.
To implement a feature, engineers put that WebIDL code in a file, and this automatically gets transformed by Blink to provide an interface to developers for that feature. Once the interface is defined with WebIDL, engineers can build the implementations that respond to interface calls.
html_image_element.idl in Chromium source.
Third-party libraries
Blink uses multiple third-party libraries. For example, WebGL is used to render interactive 2D and 3D graphics. Third-party libraries in Chromium source—including WebGL used by Blink.
Libraries such as WebGL are highly optimized and carefully tested. They give Blink access to important features and functionality, without needing to reinvent the wheel. The WebGL IDL is defined, and the Blink engineers connect that web interface with code and libraries on the backend that are used to render many different elements .
If you want to see WebGL in action, check out the fractal rendering app Fractious, which uses WebGL. Fractious: a WebGL-based viewer for the Mandelbrot Set. Cross-platform rendering
You might be wondering, does Chrome use Blink everywhere, on all operating systems and devices?
On iOS and iPadOS, Chrome uses WebKit as its rendering engine. WebKit was actually a fork of another project, KDE, which goes all the way back to 1998. In fact, Safari and Chromium were both initially based on WebKit. Today, Safari and all browsers in the Apple ecosystem use WebKit, according to Apple’s App Store requirements.
Over time, the Chromium projects developed a different multi-process software architecture, as maintaining two separate architectures in one codebase was becoming problematic.
In addition, Chromium wanted to use features that weren’t being built into WebKit. So, starting from version 28, Chromium engineers decided to begin work on their own rendering engine. They forked their code from WebKit, and they called it Blink. Rumor has it that Blink was named after the (not so) beloved tag that was available in the Netscape Navigator browser to make text blink on and off.
To sum up: Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Vivaldi, Arc, Brave, and other Chromium-based browsers and frameworks use Blink. Safari and some other browsers use WebKit, along with all browsers on iOS and iPadOS including Chrome. Firefox uses a rendering engine called Gecko.
Blink is not a vulnerability—it’s a core component that handles HTML, CSS, and JavaScript rendering.
However, like any complex software component, Blink can contain vulnerabilities if security flaws are discovered in its code. Google and the Chromium team regularly patch such issues through updates. Some examples of past Blink-related vulnerabilities include:
Use-after-free bugs (memory corruption issues that could lead to remote code execution).
Type confusion flaws (misinterpretation of object types leading to exploits).
Rendering bugs (such as CSS or SVG parsing issues that could bypass security restrictions).
Is Blink a Security Risk?
Blink is heavily sandboxed in Chrome, meaning even if an exploit exists, it’s harder to break out of the browser’s security layers.
Google’s bug bounty program rewards researchers who report Blink vulnerabilities, helping keep it secure.
Zero-day vulnerabilities in Blink can be dangerous, but they are rare and quickly patched.
Out of nowhere, my Firefox browser on my Mac mini started automatically adding every page I visited to my bookmarks. At first, I thought it was a bug after recent update —maybe a misconfigured setting or similar. But when I searched for a fix, Google suggested something alarming: Scan for malware. And guess what? The source of my trouble turned out to be an 4 SVG files hiding malicious code.
That’s right—those innocent-looking vector graphics files we use every day for logos, icons, and web design? They can secretly carry malware. In my case those were the files, a logos of reputable delivery companies like deliveroo and JustEat which I have downloaded while I was updating a website for my client. Today, we’re breaking down how SVG files are being weaponized, why they’re so effective, and how to protect yourself. example of svg file
Cybersecurity researchers have shed light on a new campaign targeting WordPress sites that disguises the malware as a security plugin.
The plugin, which goes by the name “WP-antymalwary-bot.php,” comes with a variety of features to maintain access, hide itself from the admin dashboard, and execute remote code.
“Pinging functionality that can report back to a command-and-control (C&C) server is also included, as is code that helps spread malware into other directories and inject malicious JavaScript responsible for serving ads,” Wordfence’s Marco Wotschka said in a report.
First discovered during a site cleanup effort in late January 2025, the malware has since been detected in the wild with new variants. Some of the other names used for the plugin are listed below –
addons.php
wpconsole.php
wp-performance-booster.php
scr.php
Once installed and activated, it provides threat actors administrator access to the dashboard and makes use of the REST API to facilitate remote code execution by injecting malicious PHP code into the site theme’s header file or clearing the caches of popular caching plugins.
A new iteration of the malware includes notable changes to the manner code injections are handled, fetching JavaScript code hosted on another compromised domain to serve ads or spam.
The plugin is also complemented by a malicious wp-cron.php file, which recreates and reactivates the malware automatically upon the next site visit should it be removed from the plugins directory.
It’s currently not clear how the sites are breached to deliver the malware or who is behind the campaign. However, the presence of Russian language comments and messages likely indicates that the threat actors are Russian-speaking.
The disclosure comes as Sucuri detailed a web skimmer campaign that uses a fake fonts domain named “italicfonts[.]org” to display a fake payment form on checkout pages, steal entered information, and exfiltrate the data to the attacker’s server.
Another “advanced, multi-stage carding attack” examined by the website security company involves targeting Magento e-commerce portals with JavaScript malware designed to harvest a wide range of sensitive information.
“This malware leveraged a fake GIF image file, local browser sessionStorage data, and tampered with the website traffic using a malicious reverse proxy server to facilitate the theft of credit card data, login details, cookies, and other sensitive data from the compromised website,” security researcher Ben Martin said.
The GIF file, in reality, is a PHP script that acts as a reverse proxy by capturing incoming requests and using it to collect the necessary information when a site visitor lands on the checkout page.
Adversaries have also been observed injecting Google AdSense code into at least 17 WordPress sites in various places with the goal of delivering unwanted ads and generating revenue on either a per-click or per-impression basis.
“They’re trying to use your site’s resources to continue serving ads, and worse, they could be stealing your ad revenue if you’re using AdSense yourself,” security researcher Puja Srivastava said. “By injecting their own Google AdSense code, they get paid instead of you.”
That’s not all. Deceptive CAPTCHA verifications served on compromised websites have been found to trick users into downloading and executing Node.js-based backdoors that gather system information, grant remote access, and deploy a Node.js remote access trojan (RAT), which is designed to tunnel malicious traffic through SOCKS5 proxies.
The activity has been attributed by Trustwave SpiderLabs to a traffic distribution system (TDS) called Kongtuke (aka 404 TDS, Chaya_002, LandUpdate808, and TAG-124).
“The JS script which, was dropped in post-infection, is designed as a multi-functional backdoor capable of detailed system reconnaissance, executing remote commands, tunneling network traffic (SOCKS5 proxy), and maintaining covert, persistent access,” security researcher Reegun Jayapaul said.
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On Mar 6, 2025 Telegram patched the EvilLoader vulnerability on server side. I verified that issue is fixed now. Telegram promptly fixed it within 48 hours from my report.
Email reply from Telegram to my reportHTML file is not displayed as video file anymore
A newly discovered vulnerability in Telegram for Android, dubbed EvilLoader, has been identified by malware and CTI analyst 0x6rss. This exploit allows attackers to disguise malicious APKs as video files, potentially leading to unauthorized malware installations on users’ devices. The vulnerability was detailed in his blog post and accompanied by a Proof of Concept(PoC) code. This exploit remains unpatched and continues to work on the latest version of Telegram for Android 11.7.4. Even more concerning, the payload has been available for sale on underground forums since January 15, 2025, making it accessible to cybercriminals worldwide. This is similar to WhatsApp trick, where Android malware can impersonate PDF file and trick user to install it.
I notified Telegram at security@telegram.org about this vulnerability and available PoC on March 04, 2025, but given the urgency of the issue and the fact that it remains exploitable—and has already been sold on underground forums for almost two months—I decided to publish this blog to raise awareness before an official fix is released.
This is the second time a similar vulnerability has been discovered targeting Telegram for Android. The first one, called EvilVideo, was disclosed in July 2024 and tracked as CVE-2024-7014. EvilVideo operated in the same way as EvilLoader, allowing attackers to manipulate video files to deliver malicious APKs. It was also actively sold on underground forums. You can see video of exploitation using the PoC below.
EvilLoader manipulates Telegram’s handling of video files, allowing malicious app to be automatically downloaded and executed under the guise of media content. When a user attempts to play one of these specially crafted “videos,” Telegram prompts them to open the file in an external application, see Figure 1.
Figure 1. Received malicious video file (left), Telegram request to install external player after trying to play it (right)
If user selects Cancel, then it would appear as video can’t be played correctly, see Figure 2.
Figure 2. Canceling an action falsely results in not playing video
If the user agrees, the disguised APK gets installed, potentially compromising the device.
This is achieved by tricking Telegram into handling an HTML file as a video file. A key part of the attack involves crafting an HTML file that Telegram misinterprets as a valid video file, see Figure 3.
Figure 3. Maliciously crafted HTML can trick a user to download and install malicious app
Core issue is in an HTML file is created and saved with an MP4 extension, causing Telegram to mistakenly identify it as a video file due to its extension. When sent via Telegram, it is treated as a legitimate media file, and upon opening, the user is prompted to launch it in an external application, at which point malicious code can be executed.
Before the malicious application is installed, the user must explicitly enable the installation of unknown apps on their Android device. When attempting to install the disguised video file, Telegram will prompt the user to install an external application. As part of this process, the user will be required to grant permission for the installation of apps from unknown sources, a security setting that is typically disabled by default to prevent unauthorized installations.
By exploiting Telegram’s inability to correctly validate media files, attackers can embed harmful payloads that appear as harmless video files.
The Exploit is Actively Sold on Underground Forums
Since January 15, 2025, the payload for EvilLoader has been up for sale on an underground forum for unknown price. Cybercriminals have been referring to it as EvilLoader, instead of its initial name EvilVideo. The availability of this exploit on underground marketplaces raises concerns about its widespread abuse, as threat actors can now easily obtain and deploy it against unsuspecting Telegram users.
Figure 4. Post from underground forum offering the exploit
Why This is a Serious Threat
The vulnerability remains unpatched in the latest Telegram for Android version, making all users susceptible.
Attackers can exploit this flaw to deploy spyware, ransomware, or other malware.
Since Telegram is widely trusted, users may not hesitate to open files received from seemingly legitimate sources.
How to Protect Yourself
Until Telegram addresses this issue, users should take the following precautions:
Update Telegram: While a patch is pending, stay alert for security updates from Telegram.
Disable Auto-Download: Prevent media files from downloading automatically in Telegram settings.
Avoid Untrusted Media Files: Do not open or execute files from unknown sources, especially videos requiring external apps.
Use Security Software: Install reputable mobile security software that detects malicious APKs.
Conclusion
Given that the exploit remains unfixed and has been actively sold on underground forums, Telegram users must exercise caution when handling media files. The accessibility of this exploit to cybercriminals makes it a serious risk.
