The Yandex neural network built into the Max messenger advised installing blocked Telegram, Signal, and WhatsApp instead...

The Yandex neural network built into the Max messenger advised installing blocked Telegram, Signal, and WhatsApp instead

The built-in Yandex neural network Alice, when asked about the safety of the Max messenger, lists its vulnerabilities and suggests installing Telegram, Signal, and WhatsApp instead, Vyorstka found.

In particular, Alice notes that Max lacks end-to-end encryption (E2EE), and that user data flows to VK servers.

“The messenger collects IP addresses, activity times, contacts, device and browser type, provider information, and other metadata. This data may be transferred to third parties, including government agencies, upon lawful request (for example, a court order or a reasoned request from authorized bodies),” Alice warns.

The Yandex neural network also notes that undocumented functions have already been discovered in Max, for example a forced update system bypassing app stores, voice-call analysis, and vulnerabilities for attacks.

“Although the developers deny some of the accusations, such findings raise questions about the system’s transparency,” Alice writes.

The neural network also recommended installing Max on a separate smartphone (“a maxophone”) if the main one has banking apps, personal photos, important correspondence, and confidential work chats on it.

Moreover, Alice advised using messengers with end-to-end data encryption: Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram (in secret chat mode), as well as using a VPN and not interacting with online services integrated with government systems.

Read the full story on the website. The link won’t open? Read here.

😘 Subscribe to @svobodnieslova and donations — we work thanks to you