Telegram Messenger isn't as secure as you think
Right after the horribly tragic terror attacks in Paris, we started to read badly written articles by journalists trying to attract readers with sensational headlines.
The easiest target was encrypted communication tools and one of those is Telegram Messenger. It was said ISIS/ISIL used Telegram to chat securely and that they considered it a good solid secure and trustworthy platform. Does it really deserve that reputation?
I wrote a article on March 2014 that explained some of the shortcomings of this messaging platform.
With all the publicity it is receiving now, I wanted to revisit the tool.
Some of the security issues for people wanting the best security available:
Uploading your contacts In order to register for Telegram, you have to use your real telephone number and upload your phonebook contacts (to find others that are using Telegram). This means they know with absolute certainty who owns each account and have a list of your contacts.
Metadata Metadata Metadata With everything Snowden has released, we know what metadata is and why it is so important to protect. It is how governments around the world can build very accurate profiles of users. Most users will use Telegram Messenger via a smartphone which is a horribly leaking end point for metadata. Even if you encrypt the actual message, your provider, phone manufacturer and phone OS provider know what app is installed, when it was installed, how often it was used, when it was used and for how long. Combining this with triangulated location information and general information collection means tracking down individual users becomes much easier for crafty well-funded hackers or governments.
Custom encryption Read my original article about Telegrams custom encryption. We are at a point in Information Security where there are well documented, tried, tested and reliable encryption mechanisms and it is strange that a company comes along and creates it own. This becomes especially worrisome when the protocol and tool aren’t completely open sourced.
Looking back at Telecom
Looking back at Telegram 1 year after the original article, I would still rate its security as medium level. It may be better than the most popular platforms but is nowhere near a level I would call really secure.
What’s the most secure instant messaging tool?
I write a blog post entitled “The most secure smartphone messaging app in 2013 and my recommendation still stands. The most secure instant messaging tool available today is Threema. Key management is handled by each user (not by the platform provider which weakens the security). It’s security model and back end infrastructure has been independently vetted for security.
Pushbullet takes customers hostage
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Image by PSParro used under Creative Commons License [/caption]
Pushbullet is an immensely popular multi-platform (Chrome, Firefox, Windows, Mac, Android, IOS) app that allows you to push content from one device to another one (or multiple other ones). As a free service, it quickly became a de facto app on most power-user devices. Watch any technology podcast and you are sure to hear at least one of the hosts talk about it every now and then. It has over 170,000 installs on the Google Play store. Over 1.4M users on the Chrome browser. So by any account it can be considered a success. Except when it comes to profitability.
As a free app, it didn’t make any money and the developers had to assume the charges for all the development and back-end infrastructure.
Through a blog post on the company’s website this week the developer announced that they would launch a free tier at $5 a month ($40 a year). Most users understand that a non-profitable service won’t be around so they don’t mind paying a small fee to keep them going but never hold your users hostage.
What went wrong?
In order to create the Pro-tier and encourage users to become paying customers, they removed functionality from the free product.
They made the announcement November 17, 2015 and the new tier became effective December 1, 2015. They gave their users 2 weeks to decide on what to do.
They chose to charge $5 a month for their service which seems to be more than their customer base is prepared to pay.
Typically Reddit is a good barometer of a company’s biggest supporters / detractors. In this case reading [this] Reddit thread about the changes is enlightening and disquieting for Pushbullet.
The Overcast model
Overcast is my favourite IOS (iPhone and iPad) podcatcher. I bought version 1 as soon as it was released because everything the developer (Marco Arment) releases is fantastic. Overcast v1 was a fantastic app that offered a great feature set (especially at the pro level). In v2, Marco changed Overcast to a patronage model. This means the app is free with its full feature set for everyone, but the developer asks fans to please support him with any amount they feel comfortable with. Why did he do this? Because the 80% of his customers not paying for the pro version ended up with an inferior product.
The LastPass model
LastPass was my preferred password manager until they got acquired by LogMeIn. Their pricing model was to offer customers free access the product on one platform (desktop or smartphone) and then offer a premium tier with unlimited device support and additional functionality. Their base product is solid, secure and extremely competitive as a product. Their premium add-ons like unlimited device support and 2-factor authentication are nice incentives to entice customers to upgrade. Additionally they price the upgrade to $1 per month which makes the upgrade a no brainer for most.
Conclusion
I believe that the Pushbullet approach was ill-advised and crafted by inferior executives that don’t understand the market they are competing in. Even if Pushbullet were to reverse course, there will be “bad faith” held against them for a while. If they maintain their pricing model, they may end up losing too many customers and going under.
The lesson is to know your market and figure out the pricing strategy at the start of your business. Too many internet startups concentrate on “the good idea” and then end up folding or getting sold for pennies on the dollar.
Quote about life
Life is the art of drawing without an eraser #quote #life #business #experience #coach
Quote about self improvement
"Wisdom begins with wonder" Socates
<img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/91daf5b023.jpg" alt="">
Quote about a quiet mind
"To the mind that is still the whole universe surrenders" #quote #laotzu #meditation # mindful #inthemonent
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Quote about time
Lost time is never found
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Get a cheap shareable 2nd number for your mobile phone
There are many situations where I don't want to give away my personal cell phone number (work, selling something, dating, etc). There are about a dozen apps that provide "burner" number but what if you need something semi-permanent? Something you can destroy but that you can also keep and use for 30/60/90 days or longer.
This is where Too comes in. You install the app, pay the fee to reserve the number and voila. You can choose numbers from a list of regions in Canada, USA & UK.
You could use this number to protect yourself from that new person you are dating but this also has very "professional uses. Let's say you are a consultant working on a 3 month project, you can choose to use a Too number to make sure you don't get bothered after by calls asking for free support. You can use it to rent out that apartment on AirBnB so calls coming into that number can immediately be identified as a business call. You can use it instead of your real number when selling something on Craigslist or Kijiji.
It seems to be an easy to use service at an affordable price. So if you are in the market for semi-permanent number, give Too a try (link)
UPDATE 10/18:
Once you pay the fee to reserve the number for 30 days, you are then informed that inbound/outbound minutes will also be charged. I find the developer's approach of not disclosing all of the costs up front dishonest and therefore I recommend you not use this app and go with something like Skype or Google Voice.
Best compression bag/sack for travel or camping
Over the past 20 years, I have spent thousands of hours in the air. Travelling is definitely as thrill and allows you to live new experiences. Travelling is incredibly enriching, but do it long enough and you start to look for cheats or tricks.
After buying dozens of different types and brands of luggage, I finally found the one I fell in love with and I recommend, the RedOxx AirBoss. I wrote a review about it here (link). After travelling around the world several times, it still looks sharp and brand new.
But this article isn't about luggage but about compression sacks. These allow you to travel with lots of irregular shaped items while conserving precious luggage (or backpack) space.
<img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/56c6b1ff6a.jpg" alt="">
Unfortunately I never seem to choose the right one immediately and have gone through at least 25 different stuff sacks (compression bags) until I found the Ultralight Z Compression sack from Outdoor Research.
The Ultralight Z compression sack comes in 8 or 12 litter size options and orange or blue colour.
This is a great add-on for checkin luggage and may even fit some larger carry on rolling cases.
How do you use it?
You load up the bag with all of your clothes (jackets, sweaters, socks, underwear, etc), close the top and then pull on the compression cords.
What makes it unique?
Most stuff sacks are made from cheap material and use buckles and straps. Buckles and straps are "more difficult to use" and take up more space but they do allow you to get maximum compressions.
The Ultralight Z Compression sack uses and much easier to manipulate string and pulley system.
What about the space saver type vacuum seal storage bags?
The biggest competitor is the vacuum seal bags where you "roll out the air" or vacuum it out. I have tried several different brands of these bags and hated everyone. First they over-wrinkle your clothes. Next the top of bag seal has a 50/50 chance of opening up which defeats the entire purpose. The last issue is that (regardless of the thickness of the plastic), the bag will eventually tear. The worst thing that can happen is that it rips right before your return trip home and you're stuck with too many clothes and not enough luggage space.
Where to buy it?
Many outdoor retailers carry Outdoor research gear so it's worth popping into your local favourite store and comparing prices. Amazon seems to offer the most competitive price (link)
Quote about Hope
Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness #DesmondTutu #quote #life #success #coach
Quote about positive thinking
Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. - Zig Ziglar
Quote about the simplicity of life
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. - Confucius
Quote about living
"Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced." Soren Kierkegaard
Quote about giving up
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." Thomas A Edison
Special Olympics ambassador responds to media use of the R-word
When I was younger, kids use to sing a little song that went something like this "Stick and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me". The reality is that words do hurt people and insulting thousands of people with one tweet is what Ann Coulter did during the last presidential candidate debate.
<a href="https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/260581147493412865" target="_blank"><img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/4557d6a373.jpg" alt=""></a>
Special olympics athlete and global messenger John Franklin Stephens decided to respond and respond beautifully he did (link).
“Dear Ann Coulter,
Come on Ms. Coulter, you aren’t dumb and you aren’t shallow. So why are you continually using a word like the R-word as an insult?
I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow. I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you. In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night.
I thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President as someone who was bullied as a child by people like you, but rose above it to find a way to succeed in life as many of my fellow Special Olympians have.
Then I wondered if you meant to describe him as someone who has to struggle to be thoughtful about everything he says, as everyone else races from one snarkey sound bite to the next.
Finally, I wondered if you meant to degrade him as someone who is likely to receive bad health care, live in low grade housing with very little income and still manages to see life as a wonderful gift.
Because, Ms. Coulter, that is who we are – and much, much more.
After I saw your tweet, I realized you just wanted to belittle the President by linking him to people like me. You assumed that people would understand and accept that being linked to someone like me is an insult and you assumed you could get away with it and still appear on TV.
I have to wonder if you considered other hateful words but recoiled from the backlash.
Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor.
No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much.
Come join us someday at Special Olympics. See if you can walk away with your heart unchanged.
A friend you haven’t made yet,
John Franklin Stephens
Global Messenger
Special Olympics Virginia”
It is so beautifully written that there isn't anything else I can add.
Microsoft Office kills productivity (part 1)
The future of productivity
In addition to my day job (as the CISO of a large multinational manufacturer), I do a tone of pro-bono work with startups. My goal is to share my knowledge and expertise and hopefully help these crazy entrepreneurs start something that becomes massively successful.
Even though many of these startups are on the cutting edge of technology, most still rely on old productivity paradigms that have plagued us for the last 30 years.
Microsoft Office kills productivity
Reflect on your current productivity workflow. Take the time to list the tools you use most
- Write down why you use it
- Write down what you expect that tool to deliver
- Write down how that tool falls short of being the perfect tool
You'll very quickly realize that the tools you though were perfect may not actually be fit for purpose.
One example I love sharing with people is the fact that Microsoft Office launched in 1983. Office was created during a very different time when users where transitioning from paper to computers. In order to make the transition as painless as possible, the Microsoft Office interface was designed in a very specific way to feel comfortable and familiar.
When you open Microsoft Word, you are greeted with a "paper imitating" interface. As we think about Microsoft Office and the reason it is designed the way it is, I want you to think about your current workflow. How often do you print documents these days (on paper)? Most of our information is prepared, stored and transmitted digitally. So why then are you working with a tool that forces you to think about elements that may no longer be relevant like:
- margins
- line spacing
- etc
Most modern companies prize efficiency and these antiquated elements are irrelevant and thinking about them is a waste of time.
Another product I want to pick on (and pick on really bad) is Microsoft Powerpoint. The entire Microsoft Powerpoint paradigm is based on the concept of slides. Most employees in the workforce today haven't worked with physical slides or transparencies. So why then are we using "productivity" tools that perpetuate this antiquated presentation model?
In order to become truly productive, we need to give up on these antiquated concepts of efficiency that are actually holding us back and making us less productive.
Anytime you are faced with choosing a tool, you need to take a step back and remember that the only important concept in modern productivity is powering the free-flow of ideas and sharing of those ideas. Anything else that slows down this simple 2 step model should be shunned.
Most of us are knowledge workers and we are paid to come up with great ideas not do the work of a graphic artist and waste time on layouts (which we do badly anyway).
How are you going to get your work done in the most effective and efficient way?
Part 2 coming shortly...
Quote about positivity
Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating;
there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
John Ruskin