Messaging service Telegram has been hit by a massive cyber-attack which it has traced back to China, said its founder Pavel Durov.
The attack comes amid protests over an extradition bill in Hong Kong which raises questions about whether Beijing made attempts to disrupt the protest.
Hong Kong protesters have grown increasingly concerned about legal repercussions as Beijing tightens its influence over the former British colony and the local government prosecutes demonstrators, reports Bloomberg. The protesters are thus relying on
encrypted services such as Telegram to avoid detection.
Telegram did not immediately respond to a request for more details on the attack.