Internship assignment:
The internship was focused on the Telegram* messaging application. Exploring its specification, purpose, security implications, and other pertinent aspects. We were granted complete autonomy to conduct thorough research on this topic over the course of the past three months.
During the initial two-week, we took a deep dive in the fundamentals of Telegram. This phase aimed to ensure that each team member build a strong base of the platform's core concepts. Subsequently, we allocated tasks among ourselves to optimize productivity and efficiency.
Within this framework, my primary responsibility involved delving into the intricacies of the Telegram API and undertaking an in-depth examination and building of sequence diagrams. Significant time and effort was spend to comprehend the inner workings of the API and exploring its potential applications. Furthermore, i conducted extensive research on the deployment of Telegram on local systems, examining the possibilities and challenges associated with such an implementation.
I have also took a deep dive into understanding of the workings of connecting an individual to a Telegram account. This particular quest has led me down various avenues, encompassing comprehensive open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques and even the development of my own scripts. Alas, I can't provide any more details, on this public page. Information is confidential.
Finally, we compiled all our knowledge into one document. Ready to be used by the federal police. Who can fall back when coming across Telegram in future cases.
Research: Exposure
We also got to participate in a real investigation. The research was about telegram groups. The purpose was to find out the admin of a specific group. One possible solution was the development of a specific website I created for this purpose. However, I am not allowed to tell anything more about this because this information is also confidential.
Alternative assignments:
- Crypto wallet addresses
- Rocketchat
- SQL database checker
- Session adoption
Reflection:
I look back on my internship with a positive feeling. I learned a lot in all areas. From hard skills to soft skills. Maybe this internship was not 100% cybersecurity focused, but that was no problem at all. I learned how to collaborate, take ownership. I was allowed to do and test anything I wanted. As long as there were results at the end. Thanks again to RCCU Antwerp for this instructive internship.