Application & API

Desktop & Thick-Client Penetration Testing

Desktop and thick-client application testing across binaries, IPC, and server communication.

Overview

Desktop and thick-client penetration testing assesses installed applications across their binaries, local storage, inter-process communication, and server traffic — surfacing privilege, tampering, and auth-bypass flaws unique to native software.

What we test

Where attackers get in — and where we look.

Binary & memory analysis

Local privilege & storage

IPC & DLL abuse

Traffic interception

Auth & licensing bypass

How we test

A proof-driven methodology.

Scope & recon

We agree objectives and rules of engagement, then map what you actually expose.

Map the attack surface

Enumerate entry points, roles, and trust boundaries a real attacker would target.

Manual exploitation

Certified testers exploit flaws by hand — chaining issues scanners never connect.

Prove impact

Every finding ships with a working, reproducible proof-of-exploit and business context.

Report & retest

Risk-ranked report with fixes, then a retest that confirms each issue is closed.

What you get

Proof you can act on.

Reproducible proof-of-exploit

Every finding ships with a working exploit and evidence.

Risk-ranked report

CVSS + business context, prioritized for your team.

Remediation guidance

Actionable fixes mapped to each finding.

Retest to verified fix

We confirm closure — proof it’s fixed, not assumed.

Related programs

Make it continuous.

Pair this test with a program that keeps coverage live between engagements.

FAQ

Desktop & Thick-Client Penetration Testing — questions buyers ask.

What is a thick-client application?

A thick (or fat) client is a desktop app that runs significant logic locally — .NET, Java, or C++ software — often talking to a backend server we also test.

What do you look for that web testing doesn’t cover?

Binary and memory analysis, local privilege escalation, DLL and IPC abuse, licensing bypass, and intercepting the app’s server communication.

Can you test air-gapped or on-prem software?

Yes — we can test in your environment or a provided lab build, including offline and on-prem deployments.

Prove what an attacker could actually do.

A short scoping call, no obligation.