MOBILE APPLICATION PENETRATION TESTING
Mobile application penetration testing: make sure customer data is safe
iOS and Android application testing to OWASP MASVS and MASTG, run by OSCP-certified pentesters. Static and dynamic analysis, local data, API communication and resistance to reverse engineering.
WHY IT MATTERS
A mobile app runs on a device you do not control
Unlike a web app, mobile code is in the user’s hands, and therefore the attacker’s. It can be decompiled, inspected and run on a rooted device. Protections that rely only on trusting the client simply do not exist.
From a recent engagement: an app stored the session token in unencrypted local storage and did not verify the server certificate. Taking over the device or the network was enough to hijack the account. The backend was secure, the problem was in the app.
WHAT WE CHECK
From the app code to its communication with the server
We test iOS and Android separately, because each platform has its own security pitfalls.
OUR APPROACH
Static and dynamic analysis on a real device
We combine static analysis (decompilation, code and configuration review) with dynamic analysis (the app running on an instrumented device). Only together do they show the full picture: what the app does and what can be done to it.
We work to OWASP MASTG, so every test is repeatable and mapped to MASVS. We examine the app the way an attacker with full device access would, because that is exactly the reality.
COMPLIANCE
A test required by regulation and the app stores
Mobile app security is part of compliance and a condition for publishing in stores and in regulated industries.
STANDARDS & CERTIFICATIONS
We work to recognized methodologies, not gut feeling
Every project is run by certified pentesters and based on public standards. That makes the result repeatable, auditable and comparable across vendors.
We share the full list of certifications and standards on request, together with a sample test scope.
HOW WE DO IT
A repeatable process based on MASTG
EVIDENCE
Numbers behind every promise
Every test is run by certified pentesters, and we document the result with reproduction steps, evidence and a verified remediation path. Proof, not a promise.
KNOWLEDGE
Mobile application penetration testing in practice
Why a mobile app needs its own test
A mobile app runs on a device you do not control, so an attacker has time and full access to its code, memory and network traffic. We test it to OWASP MASTG and MASVS, covering both the app itself and its communication with the backend.
Unlike a web application, some logic and data end up on the phone. That is why we analyze what the app stores locally, how it protects keys and whether it can run on a rooted or jailbroken device.
Static and dynamic analysis on a real device
We start with static analysis of the IPA or APK package: we decompile the code and look for embedded secrets, API keys and weak cryptography. A scanner only shows part of this layer, because it does not understand the app context.
We then run the app on a real device and observe it in action: we intercept traffic, tamper with requests and bypass defenses such as certificate pinning. Only the combination of both methods gives a complete picture.
The most common flaws in iOS and Android apps
Most often we find sensitive data stored without encryption, session tokens kept in easily accessible places and authorization performed on the client that can be bypassed. Each of these looks harmless until someone exploits it.
We also check the API communication, because that is usually where the real risk sits: the mobile app is just one client of the backend. An authorization flaw in the API exposes data no matter how well the app itself is protected.
What you get in the report and when to test
The report describes every vulnerability with evidence, a CVSS score and reproduction steps, separately for iOS and Android if we test both platforms. We add a business summary and remediation priorities ordered by risk.
A mobile app is worth testing before it goes to the store and after every major change to features or the permission model. After the fixes we run a retest and confirm the flaws are closed.
FAQ
Common questions
Do you test both platforms?
Do you need source code?
Do you also test the backend?
Is the retest included?
RELATED
Related reading
- What does a penetration test cost? What goes into the price and what to watch for
- Penetration testing vs. vulnerability assessment: a clear guide to the difference
- Penetration test scope: the one page that decides whether the test was worth it
- Penetration test scope
- Why CVSS scores often miss the real threat
CASE STUDIES
Case studies in this area
REFERENCES
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