Introduction
This semester, the Application Analysis team chose four Windows applications to perform a forensic analysis on – Spotify, Bitcoin Miner, Speedtest, and Dashlane. In the coming weeks, we will examine the artifacts generated by these applications.
Analysis: Web App Security
We will inspect the applications’ security features. Without proper security features, hackers can access data stored by the application. Noting how the applications handle data will illuminate security features.
The Applications
Spotify is a web-based music streaming application. It has a user base of well over 140 million paid and unpaid users, making it the largest music service available. With a music library of over 30 million songs, it’s clear to see why users love it so much. Spotify features connectivity with friends and celebrities. The team wonders if this could lead to a privacy issue. We will analyze this by recording the data the application stores about music preferences and other personal information.
Bitcoin Miner is the most popular bitcoin mining application in the Microsoft Store. Cryptocurrency has recently emerged as a lucrative investment opportunity. Applications offering users a friendly interface for exchanging and mining cryptocurrencies have followed. We are inquiring about the artifacts left over by mining cryptocurrency.
SpeedTest is an internet speed testing application that offers “easy, one-click connection testing in under 30 seconds.” It also claims to be “the most accurate and convenient way to test your speed.” Millions of users access this service. Analyzing an application such as this one should be simple. We will be looking into the data that the application stores about you and your device. This data includes age, gender, work experience, education, and browser history.
Dashlane acts as an online password bank. The application stores entered user and online account information. Never again do you need to remember all your passwords. You only need one master password to open Dashlane. The application will log-in to websites through its database and fill out forms with the information you provide. We will examine the artifacts generated by storing information, navigating to websites, and using the autofill feature. For this application, it will be important for us to be on the lookout for potential security risks.
Conclusion
Currently, we are generating and analyzing the artifacts as well as observing security features. We will report on our findings in the blog posts to come.
Post any feedback, questions, or general comments in the comment section below! Interested in our research? Follow the Leahy Center for Digital Investigation (LCDI) on Twitter @ChampForensics, Instagram @ChampForensics and Facebook @ChamplainLCDI.