In order for this to be successful, I would need to be able to install, patch, and run Android applications, as well as intercept traffic… in same manner as on a physical Android device. This got me thinking about how WSA could potentially be used for Android security testing, without the need for an Android device. Third party applications always required you to place your trust somewhere else, and have always been slow and resource heavy. In the past, Android emulation has been notoriously tricky. Likewise, all files and resources from the Windows host can interact with the Android Subsystem. The WSA experience is great when installing applications within WSA, they are automatically available to the Windows host. In this post I’ll show you how to use WSA for Android mobile application pentesting, such that you can perform all of the usual steps using only Windows, with no physical Android device or emulator needed. These enable you to run a virtual Linux or Android environment directly on your Windows Operating System, without the prerequisite compatibility layer provided by third-party software. This following their previous release, Windows Subsystem for Linux or WSL. With the release of windows 11, Microsoft announced the Windows Subsystem for Androidor WSA.

Windows subsystem for android