Behavioral Analysis of Android Applications Using Automated Instrumentation
2013 Seventh International Conference on Software Security and Reliability Companion Behavioral Analysis of Android Applications Using Automated Instrumentation Mohammad Karami, Mohamed Elsabagh, Parnian Najafiborazjani, and Angelos Stavrou Computer Science Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030 { mkarami, melsabag, pnajafib, astavrou}@gmu.edu Abstract—Google’s Android operating system has become one application is not a straight forward task due to variety of the most popular operating system for hand-held devices. Due inputs and heterogeneity of the technologies [12]. to its ubiquitous use, open source nature and wide-spread Two primary methods are being employed for mobile appli- popularity, it has become the target of recent mobile malware. In this paper, we present our efforts on effective security cation analysis: white-box approach and black-box approach. inspection mechanisms for identification of malicious applications In black-box testing only the inputs and outputs of the appli- for Android mobile applications. To achieve that, we devel- cation are being exercised. On the other hand, for white box oped a comprehensive software inspection framework. Moreover, approach the source code need to be analyzed. Since the source to identify potential software reliability flaws and to trigger code of the malicious applications that we get from Google malware, we develop a transparent instrumentation system for automating user interactions with an Android application that Play is not available we cannot analyze the internal structure does not require source code. Additionally, for run-time behavior of the malicious applications to figure out what they exactly analysis of an application, we monitor the I/O system calls gener- do, but we can utilize the black-box testing to define their ated the by application under monitoring to the underlying Linux functionality.
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