Mobile application penetration testing is a critical component of any organisation with a mobile app that collects or handles sensitive data.
This blog will explain what mobile application penetration testing entails, as well as common vulnerabilities it can identify. It will also provide some pointers on how to find a pentest vendor that best complements your business’s needs, empowering you to secure your applications and fortify user trust.
What is mobile app penetration testing?
Mobile application penetration testing, also known as mobile app security testing, involves a team of penetration testers performing simulated cyberattacks to uncover vulnerabilities or misconfigurations in Android, IOS and other third-party cross-platform applications. The pentest will evaluate the strength of your security posture and identify areas of weakness.
Once testing is complete, businesses can then improve their cybersecurity posture by proactively remediating the vulnerabilities highlighted in the report. Pentesting is an important part of any business’s security strategy as it identifies risks early before they can become legitimate data breaches.
Why mobile application security testing is so important
Mobile application security testing is crucial due to potential vulnerabilities that can lurk within your application’s code. These vulnerabilities present significant security risks if left unidentified, endangering sensitive information that hackers could manipulate for financial gain.
Breached businesses face a wide range of consequences, from operational disruptions to entire legal cases; leaving your mobile apps untested simply isn’t worth the potential repercussions.
What happens in a mobile application security test?
Protecting user data is the primary goal of a mobile application security test. During the test, penetration testers simulate real-world cyberattacks on your mobile apps to uncover security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors.
Application testing involves a combination of manual testing and automated tools, such as static application security testing (SAST) and dynamic application security testing (DAST), to thoroughly examine the app’s code and runtime behaviour.
Testers focus on identifying weaknesses like insecure data storage, weak authentication, memory leaks, and supply chain vulnerabilities. They also assess how well the app handles sensitive information and whether multi-factor authentication is properly implemented.
The outcome of the test includes detailed information and test results that highlight security flaws and provide actionable remediation guidance. This enables businesses to strengthen their cybersecurity posture, protect sensitive data, and ensure their mobile applications remain secure.
Common vulnerabilities identified by mobile application pentesting
In any penetration test, pentesters will assess for both common and complex vulnerabilities to provide a rounded review of your security posture. Here are the most common vulnerabilities identified in mobile security testing:
Insecure data storage
Insecure data storage is a critical vulnerability in mobile applications where sensitive information such as user credentials, payment details, or personal data is stored without adequate protection. Attackers can exploit this weakness by accessing unencrypted data stored locally on the device or in insecure cloud storage.
Mobile app penetration testing services rigorously assess data storage mechanisms to identify such security flaws.
Supply chain vulnerabilities
Supply chain vulnerabilities arise when mobile applications incorporate third-party components, libraries, or frameworks that may contain hidden security weaknesses or malicious code. These external dependencies can introduce known vulnerabilities that attackers exploit to compromise the app’s security.
Mobile app penetration testing involves both static and dynamic analysis to uncover potential threats. It also focuses on identifying and mitigating supply chain risks to enhance security, meet industry standards, and safeguard sensitive data and app integrity.
Memory leaks
Memory leaks occur when an application fails to release unused memory, leading to inefficient resource management and potential security issues such as buffer overflows or denial-of-service attacks.
Mobile apps developed in native languages like C++ or Objective-C are particularly susceptible to these vulnerabilities. Mobile application penetration testing involves static application security testing to detect memory leaks and related issues early in the development cycle.
Insufficient multi-factor authentication
Weak or insufficient multi-factor authentication (MFA) can leave mobile applications vulnerable to unauthorised access. Without robust MFA, attackers may bypass login controls, compromising sensitive user data and app integrity. Mobile app pentesting services evaluate authentication mechanisms to identify these weaknesses and recommend stronger security measures to protect your applications.
What to look for in mobile app penetration testing services
Effective security testing should, ideally, feel as seamless and non-disruptive as possible. Here are a few key points to keep in mind when choosing your vendor.
Do they have certified and experienced penetration testers?
Experienced, human penetration testers are the backbone of any effective penetration test. Human testers bring expertise and insight that facilitate complex testing, providing high-level vulnerability insights and business logic to best determine threats your sector, business, and application may be vulnerable to.
Human testers, especially those with certifications such as Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) and CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA), are excellent indicators of a quality vendor.
Does their testing process blend manual testing with automated tools?
Manual, periodic penetration testing alone cannot sufficiently provide security insights in the era of complex and AI-powered threats. That is why most established pentest vendors now supplement their central manual testing methodology with automated tooling support.
The automated tools run low-level, repetitive tasks such as static analysis to identify common vulnerabilities and reporting, giving human testers more freedom to apply their knowledge, human logic, and expertise to complex vulnerabilities and critical threats.
This combination of manual testing and automated tooling provides a comprehensive review of your organisation’s current security posture, with efficient and more detailed insights than traditional testing alone.
For CREST-accredited manual penetration testing supported by intelligent automated tools, consider OnSecurity’s platform-based penetration testing services. You can read our pentesting overview here.
Is the scope well-defined?
A clearly defined scope ensures that the penetration testing covers all critical aspects of your mobile application, including platform-specific features, APIs, and backend services. This focus allows testers to identify relevant vulnerabilities accurately and deliver actionable remediation guidance, maximising the effectiveness of your mobile app security testing.
Do they offer the type of mobile application testing you need?
The type of mobile application testing you need will differ based on the type of application you have. iOS and Android applications and their pentesting methodologies differ greatly, so make sure your provider can offer a testing type that’s a good fit for your needs.
You can read more about iOS penetration testing and Android penetration testing in our other blogs.
How OnSecurity can help your business achieve robust mobile app security
Secure mobile applications retain customers and prevent reputational damage and financial repercussions through securing user data. At OnSecurity, our application testing services use a blend of human and automated tools, ensuring vulnerabilities are identified swiftly and effectively.
Meet compliance requirements and achieve robust security with our platform-based mobile app penetration testing services.
