Corporate executives and government operatives alike are familiar with the Tor network and its multiple layers. However, illicit activity in the modern world has migrated to encrypted messaging. Among the most used apps is Telegram. For security professionals, the shift from Tor to Telegram represents the need for a critical new discipline: Telegram threat intelligence.
DarkOwl, a leader in darknet threat intelligence platforms, explains that decision-makers may not know exactly what Telegram threat intelligence is. They also do not know why it has become a cornerstone of modern cybersecurity. Worst of all, they don’t know why it should matter to them.
What Is It, Exactly?
Telegram threat intelligence is both a systemic practice and a strategy. It involves gathering, monitoring, and analyzing data gleaned from Telegram channels and groups. Some of the data also comes from bots. It is useful for identifying all sorts of cyber-criminal activity.
The Telegram app was originally designed to facilitate private and fast communication. The features that have made the app so popular among consumers also make it a choice among bad actors wanting to freely communicate in the shadows.
Knowing how bad actors communicate, it is clear that intelligence gathered from Telegram goes way beyond mere messages. Successful intelligence looks to identify patterns in fraud operations. It looks to identify extremist organizations and the coordination that goes on between them. Telegram threat intelligence even looks at stolen data and how it is bought and sold. Essentially, security teams treat Telegram as a high-signal environment through which tremendous visibility can be gained.
How Does It Work?
Telegram essentially functions as a hybrid between social networking and messaging. Deploying threat intelligence in this space is a multi-layered process that includes:
- Constant monitoring – Both public and private groups are constantly monitored for relevant data. Analysts leverage specialized tools to access communities where bad actors tend to hang out, sell stolen credentials, and share trade secrets.
- Entity extraction – Entity extraction is accomplished through intelligent platforms that scan specifically for things like crypto wallet handles, domains, email addresses, and even malware signatures.
- Darknet correlation – The most important layer is the darknet correlation layer. Here, analysts correlate Telegram data with other data gleaned from a variety of darknet sources. This is what gives context to Telegram.
- Migration tracking – When Telegram accounts are seized and closed, bad actors migrate to other communities. Therefore, analysts rely on intelligent tools capable of tracking their movements no matter where they go.
Utilizing a multi-layered approach helps analysts make the most of Telegram threat intelligence. Rather than relying on a single exercise that only gathers data, this form of intelligence takes a comprehensive look at all the activities being observed on the platform. That look is then contextualized and turned into actionable recommendations.
Why Does It Matter to Modern Cybersecurity?
Tight budgets and a lack of knowledge make it easy to ignore Telegram as a potential source of threat intelligence. However, ignoring it is no longer an option. The platform is not a secondary source of information. Rather, it is a primary vector for risk. It matters because bad actors are using Telegram as a primary means of communication.
Gleaning valuable intelligence from Telegram is not easy. Analysts rely on specialized tools from providers like DarkOwl. But regardless of its challenges, Telegram threat intelligence is absolutely necessary in the modern era. To ignore is to leave a valuable security tool on the table.
Does your organization give appropriate attention to Telegram? If not, the organization could be at risk. It’s time to learn more about Telegram threat intelligence and how to deploy it for your own protection.
