Methods and apparatuses for improved mobile app security testing via bridged native and web user interface interaction

• US 10,735,449 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2017
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viaforensics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Viaforensics, LLC
• Inventors: Weinstein, David, Ravnas, Ole Andre Vadla, Kristensen, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Peiliang
• Application Number:
  US15/646,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20190020673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 726 25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses disclosed herein for improved mobile app security testing via bridged native and web user interface interaction. In one example embodiment, a method is provided comprising receiving, by a security instrumentation system, an app for analysis, and discovering, by the security instrumentation system, one or more user interface elements provided by the app. Thereafter, interrogating, by the security instrumentation system, the one or more user interface elements provided by the app and serializing, by the security instrumentation system, the one or more user interface elements. In some embodiments, after serializing the one or more user interface elements, causing presentation of the serialized one or more interface elements via a web browser.

Claims

1. A method for improved app security testing using a security instrumentation system, the method comprising:

receiving, by the security instrumentation system, a native app for analysis;

discovering, by the security instrumentation system, one or more user interface elements provided by the native app;

interrogating, by the security instrumentation system, the one or more user interface elements provided by the native app;

serializing, by the security instrumentation system, the one or more user interface elements of the native app, wherein serializing the one or more user interface elements of the native app comprises provisioning the one or more user interface elements of the native app and generating, using the provisioned one or more user interface elements of the native app, web version interface elements of the native app'"'"'s one or more user interface elements for rendering in a web browser;

causing presentation of the serialized web version interface elements of the native app'"'"'s one or more user interface elements on the web browser;

recording, by the security instrumentation system, a user interaction with the web version interface elements in the web browser; and

causing injection of the user interaction with the web version interface elements into the native app.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein discovering the one or more user interface elements provided by the native app comprises:

traversing an object hierarchy of the native app to discover a set of potential user interface elements;

querying whether each potential user interface element in the set of potential user interface elements supports an event or exhibits a behavior; and

enumerating, based on the query, a subset of potential user interface elements that support an event or exhibit a behavior, wherein the subset comprises the one or more user interface elements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein interrogating the one or more user interface elements provided by the native app comprises accessing one or more text values of the one or more user interface elements.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of an occurrence of an event or behavior that initiates an operation from the native app; and

relaying the event or behavior to an interactivity mediator service, the interactivity mediator service is a rendezvous point for handling one or more sessions associated with the web browser.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more sessions associated with the web browser remain active when the web browser is disconnected.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more sessions associated with the web browser provide a real-time display of the interaction with the one or more user interface elements on the native app alongside the presentation of the web version interface elements in the web browser.

7. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program instructions, the at least one memory and the computer program instructions configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

receive, by a security instrumentation system, a native app for analysis;

discover, by the security instrumentation system, one or more user interface elements provided by the native app;

interrogate, by the security instrumentation system, the one or more user interface elements provided by the native app;

serialize, by the security instrumentation system, the one or more user interface elements of the native app, wherein serializing the one or more user interface elements of the native app comprises provisioning the one or more user interface elements of the native app and generating, using the provisioned one or more user interface elements of the native app, web version interface elements of the native app'"'"'s one or more user interface elements for rendering in a web browser;

cause presentation of the serialized web version interface elements of the native app'"'"'s one or more user interface elements on the web browser;

record, by the security instrumentation system, a user interaction with the web version interface elements in the web browser; and

cause injection of the user interaction with the web version interface elements into the native app.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein discovering the one or more user interface elements provided by the native app comprises:

traversing an object hierarchy of the native app to discover a set of potential user interface elements;

querying whether each potential user interface element in the set of potential user interface elements supports an event or exhibits a behavior; and

enumerating, based on the query, a subset of potential user interface elements that support an event or exhibit a behavior, wherein the subset comprises the one or more user interface elements.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein interrogating the one or more user interface elements provided by the native app comprises accessing one or more text values of the one or more user interface elements.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising the at least one memory and the computer program instructions configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:

receive an indication of an occurrence of an event or behavior that initiates an operation from the native app; and

relay the event or behavior to an interactivity mediator service, the interactivity mediator service is a rendezvous point for handling one or more sessions associated with the web browser.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more sessions associated with the web browser remain active when the web browser is disconnected.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more sessions associated with the web browser provide a real-time display of the interaction with the one or more user interface elements on the native app alongside the presentation of the web version interface elements in the web browser.

13. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program instructions embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program instructions comprising program instructions configured to cause the computer to:

receive, by a security instrumentation system, a native app for analysis;

discover, by the security instrumentation system, one or more user interface elements provided by the native app;

interrogate, by the security instrumentation system, the one or more user interface elements provided by the native app;

serialize, by the security instrumentation system, the one or more user interface elements of the native app, wherein serializing the one or more user interface elements of the native app comprises provisioning the one or more user interface elements of the native app and generating, using the provisioned one or more user interface elements of the native app, web version interface elements of the native app'"'"'s one or more user interface elements for rendering in a web browser;

cause presentation of the serialized web version interface elements of the native app'"'"'s one or more user interface elements on the web browser;

record, by the security instrumentation system, a user interaction with the web version interface elements in the web browser; and

cause injection of the user interaction with the web version interface elements into the native app.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein discovering the one or more user interface elements provided by the native app comprises:

traversing an object hierarchy of the native app to discover a set of potential user interface elements;

querying whether each potential user interface element in the set of potential user interface elements supports an event or exhibits a behavior; and

enumerating, based on the query, a subset of potential user interface elements that support an event or exhibit a behavior, wherein the subset comprises the one or more user interface elements.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein interrogating the one or more user interface elements provided by the native app comprises accessing one or more text values of the one or more user interface elements.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising program instructions configured to cause the computer to:

receive an indication of an occurrence of an event or behavior that initiates an operation from the native app; and

relay the event or behavior to an interactivity mediator service, the interactivity mediator service is a rendezvous point for handling one or more sessions associated with the web browser.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the one or more sessions associated with the web browser remain active when the web browser is disconnected.