Patent application EP20175878A (EP), filed 2020-05-21
Publication number: EP3757841A1
Title: METHODS AND DEVICES FOR CONTEXT-BASED STRING ANALYSIS FOR VULNERATBILITY DETECTION
Abstract: Described are methods and computing devices for identifying potential vulnerabilities in a software package. The package includes build files that include an application file and one or more associated files. The method may include scanning the application file to identify and extract a string from the application file and determining that the string is referenced in one of the associated files and obtaining data associated with the string from the associated file. The string may then be classified based, in part, on the data obtained from the associated file, and a full context may be determined for the string based, at least in part, on the classification. A relevance rank for the string is then set based on the full context and the string and its relevance rank are output.
IPC codes: G06F  21/    57            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: A computer-implemented method of identifying potential vulnerabilities in a software package that includes two or more build files, the build files including at least an application file and one or more associated files, comprising:
number: 2
text: The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes a new string to which the string is mapped in the associated file.
number: 3
text: The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein classifying is based on syntax or structure of the string.
number: 4
text: The method of any preceding claim, wherein classifying includes classifying into a class selected from defined classes, wherein the defined classes include at least one of URLs, email addresses, IP addresses, or key values.
number: 5
text: The method of any preceding claim, determining the full context includes determining the full context based on a use made, in the application file, of the data associated with the string.
number: 6
text: The method of claim 5, wherein the data associated with the string comprises a new string and wherein the use made is the use of the new string.
number: 7
text: The method of any preceding claim, wherein the application file includes a binary or executable file.
number: 8
text: The method of any preceding claim, wherein the associated file comprises a resource file.
number: 9
text: The method of claim 8, wherein the resource file includes a string resource file.
number: 10
text: The method of any preceding claim, wherein outputting the string and its relevance rank includes outputting the string and the data associated with the string.
number: 11
text: A computing device for identifying vulnerabilities in a software package that includes two or more build files, the build files including at least an application file and one or more associated files, the computing device comprising
number: 12
text: A computer program which, when executed on a processor of a computing device, is configured to cause the computing device to carry out the method of any one of claims 1 to 10.
Office action: search_report, dated 2020-12-30
Rejection reasons: novelty_epc_54
Prior art cited: ref_id: CN108965296A
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: - WENBO YANG ET AL: "Show Me the Money! Finding Flawed Implementations of Third-party In-app Payment in Android Apps", NDSS SYMPOSIUM 2017, 1 January 2017 (2017-01-01), Reston, VA, XP055688495, ISBN: 978-1-891562-46-4, DOI: 10.14722/ndss.2017.23091
ref_type: npl
severity: background
ref_id: CN108965296
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: - WENBO YANG ET AL, "Show Me the Money! Finding Flawed Implementations of Third-party In-app Payment in Android Apps", NDSS SYMPOSIUM 2017, Reston, VA, (20170101), doi:10.14722/ndss.2017.23091, ISBN 978-1-891562-46-4, XP055688495 [X] 1-12 * section IV.B *
ref_type: npl
severity: novelty_destroying
Final disposition: pending (2020-12-30)