Web Application Version Detection via File Checksum Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated methods for detecting web application versions are signature-based and rely on information provided by the website owner, making them vulnerable to version ID removal or manipulation, which limits their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that calculates checksums of files and sorts them by frequency of change to detect web application versions with minimal server queries, using a repository of source codes to identify matching versions and update databases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If signature-based methods are used to detect web application versions, then the detection process is simple and fast, but the detection reliability deteriorates because version IDs can be removed or manipulated
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores checksums for all files in the source code repository before actual version detection. This preliminary preparation creates a reference database that enables rapid comparison during detection without requiring real-time analysis, thus maintaining speed while improving reliability through comprehensive file verification
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on single version ID strings that can be manipulated, the system creates checksum copies of multiple files across different versions. These checksum copies serve as redundant verification data, making the detection process resistant to version ID removal or manipulation while maintaining efficient comparison operations
2Measurement precision
If all files are checked to detect version changes, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the number of queries to web server increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates checksums for all files in the source code repository and organizes them by version before actual detection. This preliminary organization creates a ready-to-use reference structure that enables rapid comparison during detection without requiring real-time analysis of all files, thus maintaining accuracy while reducing detection time
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the version detection process into two phases: offline preparation where all file checksums are pre-calculated and organized by version, and online detection where only comparison operations are performed. This segmentation moves the computationally intensive work to offline time, enabling fast online detection with minimal server queries
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method and system for effective detection of web application version which uses such a data set that allows with minimal number of queries to web server to detect version of web application installed on it. The method is based on calculation of check sum of files and sorting them so that the most frequently changing from version to version files are checked first. In parallel, a lot of potentially suitable versions are stored and with each request to the server the set is shortened until no elements remain. Web server answers which do not match any of pre-calculated hash sums are stored for further processing in order to complement existing database of versions.