Desktop App Penetration Testing
Desktop applications are trusted with sensitive data. Are they secure?
Desktop applications handle credentials, process sensitive data, communicate with backend APIs, and often run with elevated privileges – all on devices outside your direct control. AMATAS desktop app penetration testing uncovers the vulnerabilities attackers exploit in Windows, macOS and Linux applications before your users are affected.
- CREST-accredited
- Windows, macOS & Linux
- Static & dynamic analysis
- Remediation testing included
Desktop applications present a distinct security challenge – they run directly on end-user devices, often with access to local file systems, operating system APIs, and sensitive data stores. Unlike web applications, they can be reverse-engineered, patched, and run in modified environments. Credentials stored insecurely on disk, hardcoded API keys in binaries, insufficient process isolation, and API backends that trust desktop clients too much are all common findings.
AMATAS desktop app penetration testing combines static binary analysis with dynamic runtime testing to assess your Windows, macOS and Linux applications the way a real attacker would – from the device up.
Platform coverage
Windows, macOS & Linux - tested natively
Each platform has a distinct security model, permission system, and set of attack vectors. We test each natively – not with a generic methodology applied to both.
Windows application testing
Security assessment of Windows desktop applications, covering the Win32 API, .NET, and native application frameworks.
- Local privilege escalation via application logic
- Insecure credential & data storage in registry and files
- DLL hijacking & binary planting
- Inter-process communication (IPC) abuse
- Hardcoded secrets in binaries & config files
- Weak service ACLs, unquoted service paths, DPAPI misuse
macOS application testing
Security assessment of macOS desktop applications – covering native Swift/Objective-C apps, and cross-platform frameworks.
- Keychain & credential storage security
- Sandbox escape & entitlement abuse
- XPC service security & privilege escalation
- Hardcoded secrets in binaries & plist files
- Code signing & Gatekeeper bypass
- TCC bypass, dylib hijacking
Linux application testing
Security assessment of Linux desktop and server-side applications – covering native C/C++, Python, and cross-platform frameworks.
- SUID/SGID binary abuse & privilege escalation
- Linux capabilities
- Insecure file permissions & credential storage
- Shared library hijacking
- D-Bus & IPC mechanism security
- Hardcoded secrets in binaries & config files
Test coverage
What we test in every desktop app engagement
Binary & static analysis
Reverse engineering and static analysis of the application binary – identifying hardcoded secrets, insecure logic, and sensitive strings embedded in the executable.
Local data storage
Credentials, tokens, and sensitive data stored insecurely on disk – in local files, registry entries, configuration files, and application databases.
API & network communication
Certificate validation, traffic encryption, API authentication, and excessive data exposure in API responses from the desktop client’s perspective.
Authentication & session management
Login flow security, token storage and handling, session persistence, and authentication bypass vulnerabilities specific to desktop application architectures.
Privilege escalation
Exploiting application logic or OS-level misconfigurations to escalate from user-level to administrator or system privileges.
Runtime analysis
Dynamic analysis of the running application – intercepting function calls, manipulating memory, and testing runtime behavior under adversarial conditions.
What you receive
Deliverables from every engagement
Technical report
Risk-ranked findings with reproduction steps, evidence, and remediation guidance – written for your development team with specific code-level recommendations where applicable.
Executive summary
A non-technical overview of your desktop application’s security posture – ready for leadership, auditors, and compliance reporting.
Remediation testing & accreditation
After you remediate findings, we retest at no extra cost and issue a cybersecutiy accreditation for audit and compliance purposes.
Compliance support
Regulatory frameworks this service supports
Desktop app penetration testing provides audit-ready evidence of security testing for the following frameworks.
- DORA
- NIS2
- OWASP Top 10
- ISO 27001
- PCI DSS
- HIPAA
Test coverage
Choose the right level of testing
Every organization has different security needs, budgets, and compliance obligations. Our three service tiers are designed to match your context:
- Deep, CREST-certified testing that simulates real-world, multi-layered attacks
- Led by senior testers using advanced exploitation methods
- Detailed reports, attack path mapping, and remediation validation
- Best for enterprises and regulated industries
- Fast, affordable testing for quick vulnerability discovery and compliance validation
- Combines automated scans with manual expert testing
- Concise, actionable reports aligned with ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, and GDPR
- Best for SMEs seeking cost-efficient assessments
- Flexible testing of new implementations or features
- Live dashboards, historical tracking and continuous updates
- Best for organizations needing continuous testing
FAQ
Desktop app penetration testing - common questions
Web application testing focuses on server-side logic and browser-based attack vectors. Desktop app testing introduces a different attack surface – the application binary itself, local data storage on the device, OS-level privilege escalation paths, and client-side logic that can be manipulated by an attacker with physical or remote access to the machine. Many of the most critical desktop app vulnerabilities – hardcoded credentials, DLL hijacking, insecure IPC – simply don’t exist in web applications.
We can conduct a full black-box assessment using only the compiled application binary, just as an attacker would. Where source code is available, white-box testing allows deeper coverage – particularly for finding logic flaws that don’t surface through binary analysis alone. We agree the approach during scoping based on your preference and threat model.
Yes – the backend API your desktop application communicates with is a core part of the assessment. We test authentication, authorization, and data exposure from the desktop client’s perspective – including how the application handles tokens and credentials, and whether the backend applies appropriate trust to client requests. A full standalone API penetration test is available separately if broader API coverage is needed beyond what the desktop client accesses.
Ready to see what's exposed?
Talk to our team – we’ll scope the right security assessment for your mobile app.
Often combined with desktop app testing
Web & API Penetration Testing
Full-scope testing of the web applications and APIs your desktop app depends on.
Vulnerability Assessment
Continuous scanning of the infrastructure your desktop application connects to – keeping the backend secure between penetration tests.
Source Code Review
Static analysis of your application’s source code – finding security defects before compilation and deployment.