pdf-parser.py: Tool for PDF Analysis in Cybersecurity
/ 3 min read
Quick take - pdf-parser.py is a command-line utility designed for parsing and analyzing PDF documents, offering features that assist in digital forensic analysis and cybersecurity investigations by revealing internal structures, embedded JavaScript, and potential security risks within PDFs.
Fast Facts
- Purpose: pdf-parser.py is a command-line utility for parsing and analyzing PDF documents, essential for digital forensics and cybersecurity investigations.
- Key Features: It identifies PDF structure, reveals embedded JavaScript, allows keyword searches, and decodes streams for deeper content analysis.
- Security Analysis: The tool highlights potentially risky objects and actions, detects embedded links, and analyzes metadata for signs of tampering.
- Installation: Available for download from Didier Stevens’ blog and the Kali Linux repository; can be installed using
sudo apt install pdf-parser. - Use Cases: It aids in analyzing phishing PDFs and can work with encrypted documents using complementary tools like pdfid and qpdf.
pdf-parser.py: A Comprehensive Tool for PDF Analysis in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics
The command-line utility, pdf-parser.py, is designed for parsing and analyzing PDF documents, playing a crucial role in digital forensic analysis and cybersecurity investigations. It allows users to identify the internal structure of PDF files, providing detailed insights into various PDF objects, including their type, number, and content.
Key Features
One of the key features of pdf-parser.py is its ability to reveal embedded JavaScript within PDFs, which is critical for analyzing potentially malicious documents. Users can search for specific keywords or patterns within the PDF, and the tool supports filtering of PDF objects to streamline analysis. It enables the decoding of streams to uncover obfuscated content, allowing for a deeper understanding of the document’s structure and functionality. Additionally, users have the option to specify object IDs, focusing their analysis on particular sections of the PDF.
pdf-parser.py outputs information in a structured format, making it easier to interpret the contents of PDF objects. It can extract streams from these objects and offers normalization options for improved readability. The tool is capable of inspecting both stream and unfiltered stream data, facilitating a comprehensive examination of the PDF. Security analysis is enhanced as pdf-parser.py highlights potentially risky objects or actions, such as suspicious elements like /OpenAction, /AA, and JavaScript tags. It aids in detecting embedded links and external references, as well as analyzing PDF metadata for signs of tampering or suspicious activity.
Installation and Usage
The tool is favored by security professionals for its versatility, allowing for both basic parsing and advanced analysis of complex PDFs. For installation, pdf-parser.py is available for download from the official website, Didier Stevens’ blog, and is included in the Kali Linux tools repository. Users can install the tool using the command:
sudo apt install pdf-parserIn addition, encrypted PDF documents can be analyzed using complementary tools such as pdfid and qpdf. It is important to note that PDFs may be encrypted for Digital Rights Management (DRM) or confidentiality. PDFs encrypted solely for DRM can be accessed without a password, while those encrypted for confidentiality require a password for access.
Real-World Application
The utility also provides an example of how to analyze a phishing PDF, demonstrating its application in real-world scenarios. If a password is not needed, qpdf can be employed to decrypt the PDF for further analysis using pdf-parser. Overall, pdf-parser.py is a powerful tool for anyone involved in cybersecurity, digital forensics, or PDF analysis, providing comprehensive capabilities to understand and evaluate the contents and structure of PDF documents.
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