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Thick Client Application

Penetration Testing

Comprehensive security testing of desktop and thick-client applications across binaries, protocols, IPC, and the server tier.

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Binary
Reversing
Proto
Inspection
IPC
Tampering
OWASP
Top 10
Overview

Built For Penetration Testing

Thick-client applications process data both on the user’s machine and on the server tier, exposing a much larger attack surface than a typical web app — local storage, IPC, custom protocols, binary tampering, and DLL hijacking all sit in scope.

Our engagement covers static binary review, runtime instrumentation, network-protocol analysis, and the server-side APIs the client talks to — closing both the local and remote halves of the application.

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Local Attack Surface

Files, registry, named pipes, IPC, and DLLs can all be tampered with by a local attacker.

Hidden Protocols

Custom binary protocols are rarely audited and often miss authentication and integrity checks.

Reverse-Engineering

Hardcoded secrets and weak obfuscation expose business logic and keys to extraction.

Compliance Pressure

PCI-DSS, RBI, and SEBI guidance increasingly require thick-client assessment for trading and banking software.

Why It Matters

Reduce Risk, Protect Trust

Local Attack Surface

Files, registry, named pipes, IPC, and DLLs can all be tampered with by a local attacker.

Hidden Protocols

Custom binary protocols are rarely audited and often miss authentication and integrity checks.

Reverse-Engineering

Hardcoded secrets and weak obfuscation expose business logic and keys to extraction.

Compliance Pressure

PCI-DSS, RBI, and SEBI guidance increasingly require thick-client assessment for trading and banking software.

Privilege Escalation

Insecure installers and update routines are a reliable EoP path on Windows endpoints.

Server-Side Trust

Backend services often over-trust the client — a swap of the binary breaks the security model.

Our Services

Penetration Testing Coverage

End-to-end validation across thick-client applications.

Binary Reversing

Decompile, deobfuscate, and analyze the binary for hardcoded secrets and insecure logic.

Protocol Analysis

Intercept and fuzz the custom protocol between the client and the backend.

Runtime Tampering

Hook functions, patch memory, and bypass client-side validation.

Local Privilege Tests

Probe installers, services, scheduled tasks, and registry permissions for EoP.

Backend API Review

Test the server-side APIs the client talks to as a first-class web target.

IPC & DLL Inspection

Validate named-pipe ACLs, COM interfaces, and DLL search-order safety.

Key Benefits

Why Customers Choose This

01

Full-Stack Coverage

Both client and server tiers tested in a single engagement.

02

Audit-Ready Evidence

Findings packaged with PoC, screenshots, and CVSS for compliance reviewers.

03

Reverse-Engineer Defense

Recommendations on obfuscation, integrity checks, and anti-tamper controls.

04

Reduced EoP Risk

Local privilege paths closed before they show up in real-world incidents.

05

Faster Remediation

Per-finding fix guidance referenced to OWASP MASVS and CWE.

06

Vendor-Neutral

No tool, language, or framework bias — we test what you ship.

Areas Covered

Risks We Surface

Hardcoded Secrets

API keys, tokens, and credentials embedded in the binary.

Insecure IPC

Pipes, sockets, COM, and shared memory without authentication or ACLs.

Memory Tampering

Client-side checks bypassable by patching memory at runtime.

Installer Flaws

Unquoted service paths, insecure permissions, DLL planting in updaters.

Crypto Weakness

Custom or broken cryptography in client-server channels.

Backend Trust

Server APIs assuming the client is honest about scope and role.

Deliverables

What You Receive

Technical Report

Per-finding evidence with reproduction steps, severity, and remediation.

Executive Summary

Business-level overview for leadership and audit teams.

Hardening Checklist

Concrete controls mapped to OWASP MASVS and CWE.

Remediation Tracker

Living tracker of every finding, owner, status, and target date.

Retest Attestation

Post-fix re-validation with a clean letter for auditors.

PoC Artifacts

Tampered binaries, traffic captures, and scripts for engineering replay.

Methodology

Our Engagement Process

01

Scoping

Map binaries, server endpoints, build pipeline, and user roles.

02

Static Analysis

Decompile binaries, hunt secrets, map calls to the backend.

03

Dynamic Analysis

Instrument the client, fuzz the protocol, intercept and replay traffic.

04

Local Privilege

Probe installer, services, scheduled tasks, and update routines.

05

Backend Testing

Treat the server APIs as a web target — OWASP Top 10 + business logic.

06

Reporting & Retest

Deliver findings, support fix cycles, and re-validate.

Why CyberAlpha

Trusted Partner

Specialist Team

Reverse engineers comfortable with C/C++, .NET, and JVM targets.

Both Halves Tested

Client and server in the same engagement — no blind spots.

Hands-On Remediation

We stay engaged through fix cycles, not just drop a report.

Audit-Friendly

Reports written for the auditor as much as the engineer.

Pragmatic Findings

No noisy false positives — every finding is reproducible.

Knowledge Transfer

Workshops and walkthroughs leave your team stronger.

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Ready for Thick Client Application?

Protect your organization with CyberAlpha's expert thick client application services. Get a comprehensive assessment tailored to your environment.

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