From May to August each year, hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students across the nation participate in PayPal’s immersive summer internship program—which spans a variety of disciplines from software engineering and user experience design, to information security and more. One of this year’s standout interns is Yeganeh Safaeisemnani, a fourth-year PhD student at Arizona State University (ASU). Yaganeh moved from Iran to the United States to study computer science, with a focus on security for mobile devices.
During the school year, Yeganeh works closely with PayPal through a company-supported ASU research project that aims to better protect people from phishing attacks and fraudulent websites. After interning for the same team last year, Yeganeh is building on that project in her second term as a security analyst intern for the Security Threat Intelligence team in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Yeganeh aspires to use her degree in further research and development, applying her academic research skills in the workforce.
What was it like to move from Iran to the United States?
I completed my master’s degree in computer science in England, but didn’t quite feel like I connected there. I wasn’t sure if I would feel the same way in the United States. My dad spent four years in the U.S. while studying for his bachelor’s degree to be a naval officer, and he said America is unlike any other country in the world. When I arrived, it was surprising to see the diversity here and how accepting people are. That’s something I love about PayPal too; you see people from all over the world working together here.
How did you hear about PayPal’s internship program?
PayPal and ASU have a longstanding collaboration, and at school, I work on a project PayPal funds as part of a research effort sponsored by InfoSec. I enjoyed my work in the lab, so I asked my advisor if PayPal offered internship opportunities. He introduced me to my current manager, Dr. Brad Wardman, and the rest is history!
What are you researching as part of your internship on the Security Threat Intelligence team?
Last year, my focus was measuring the ability of web browsers to detect phishing websites and security threats. It is important to ensure the websites you visit are safe, and people commonly rely on their browsers to alert them of threats or phishing sites. We ran tests across popular web browsers to assess how well they detected and blacklisted phishing sites.
This summer, my internship is dedicated to building on that project by testing the security of smartphone applications and identifying how they can be used to attack users or steal data. Right now I’m analyzing the different ways that mobile apps use PayPal SDK, then we evaluate how secure they are and ensure they are not introducing security risks.
What do you like most about the work you’re doing?
The results of my research will have a direct, positive impact on not only PayPal but its customers and the public. Before pursuing my master’s and PhD in computer science, I studied electrical engineering, transmission towers and how they can be affected by lightning. The work was valuable but niche; I didn’t feel like I was doing something that was helpful to others. I find that working with PayPal to help solve problems that people commonly face is fulfilling.
Does PayPal have special activities for interns?
PayPal hosts an exciting welcome event for incoming interns. This year, we saw a rodeo show and went indoor skydiving—which was awesome! Later in the summer, interns from across the company meet in San Francisco for the Intern Summit, a three-day trip to visit PayPal headquarters, network and participate in team-building activities.
What are some of your hobbies and favorite activities outside of work and school?
When I lived in Iran, I enjoyed racing cars. However, it’s a difficult and expensive hobby to maintain while in school. As a student, I don’t have a lot of free time. During holiday breaks, I enjoy traveling to different parts of the U.S. and exploring national parks. So far, I have visited 10 states, including New York, California, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana.
Do you have any advice for interns to make the most of their programs?
In addition to completing your own assignments, take the time to join meetings and meet members of two or three other departments. By getting to know others and observing how their teams work, you’ll learn new things and open your eyes to different ways of solving problems.
Lastly, just enjoy your time here!