Don't leave your desktop applications vulnerable to attack.
Desktop Application Security
Desktop applications on Windows, macOS and Linux often run with elevated privileges, access local system resources and handle sensitive data, so security flaws in them tend to be high impact.
Unlike web applications, desktop software runs inside the user's operating system. Vulnerabilities can come from insecure local storage, weak update mechanisms, excessive permissions, insecure design that leads to local or remote code execution, or trusting local files, users or processes without validation.
We test how your application behaves on a real system and how a malicious user or attacker could abuse it. These issues are rarely found by network-based testing or automated tools, so testing combines static analysis, dynamic analysis and manual review.
The goal
Our Pentest Methodology
From £3,150
for desktop app penetration testing
Not sure where your application fits? A 30-minute scoping call is free and gets you a fixed written quote.
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| Simple desktop utility Single platform | £3,150 - £3,750 |
| Standard thick client application Communicates with a server or backend service, server-side component included | £3,750 - £6,450 |
| Complex application Encryption, DRM or custom network protocols, server-side component included | £6,450 - £9,350 |
| Enterprise software Multiple components or platforms, with server-side testing included | £9,350+ |
Compare all our penetration testing services.
Common Questions
We test applications across all major platforms including Windows (.exe, .msi), macOS (.app, .dmg), and Linux (various formats). This includes native applications, Java and .NET applications, and cross-platform frameworks.
Electron applications have their own attack surface, including Node.js injection, renderer process vulnerabilities, IPC abuse and insecure use of remote content, which we test specifically. Whether your application is distributed commercially, used internally or delivered as enterprise software, we can assess its security.
No, source code is not required. We can perform black box testing with just the compiled application. However, white box testing (with source code access) provides more thorough coverage and can identify vulnerabilities earlier in the development lifecycle. We recommend white box testing when possible, especially for applications handling sensitive data.
Depending on the agreed scope, we reverse engineer the application to approach vulnerability discovery as an attacker would, and for some applications, such as Windows .NET builds, we can recover source code from local installations. We only go as far as security testing requires, all findings remain confidential, and we sign NDAs if required.
Yes. We test the entire attack surface including client-side vulnerabilities and the security of communications with backend services. This includes API authentication, encrypted communications, certificate validation, and whether sensitive data is exposed through client-server communications.
For a full assessment of the backend itself, we may recommend combined desktop and API testing.
We conduct testing in isolated environments using test accounts and sample data. We never test against production systems or real user data unless explicitly coordinated. Our testing focuses on identifying vulnerabilities without causing damage, and we maintain detailed logs of all testing activities.
Desktop application testing focuses on different attack vectors including: memory corruption vulnerabilities (buffer overflows), local privilege escalation, insecure local data storage, DLL hijacking, code injection, reverse engineering protection, and update mechanism security.
Unlike web applications that run in browsers with security sandboxes, desktop apps often have deeper system access and different trust boundaries.
Yes. For applications requiring specialised hardware, we can test on-site or you can provide remote access to a testing environment.
For licensed software, you'll need to provide valid licences for our testing environment. We can also work with time-limited trial versions if full licences aren't available.
Most desktop application tests take 3-6 days depending on the application's complexity, functionality, and the agreed scope of testing, and larger or more complex applications take longer. Reports are delivered within 2 business days of testing completion.
Yes. We verify that updates are delivered over encrypted channels, properly signed, and cannot be intercepted or tampered with. Insecure update mechanisms are a common way attackers distribute malware to users.