The Fundamentals of Mobile App Penetration Testing for Optimal Security

The Fundamentals of Mobile App Penetration Testing for Optimal Security

• Mobile applications are highly susceptible to security threats. Most of it is mainly due to immense popularity.
• People, as well as businesses, are heavily reliant on mobile apps for their day-to-day tasks and operations. Plus, they entrust their sensitive data to these apps.
• Attacks and breaches on mobile apps can result in catastrophic consequences for the individual or business that owns the application.
• Processes like mobile app penetration testing can bring down the frequency of such incidents significantly. Going further in this blog, we will discuss the fundamentals of the process for optimal mobile app security.

Need for Mobile Application Penetration Testing

Mobile applications have become a crucial part of the larger IT infrastructure possessed by any business these days. These apps work in integration and interaction with the whole ecosystem that involves network infrastructure, servers, and data centers. Although mobile apps provide amazing flexibility and scalability to any business infrastructure. But they also expand the attack surface of the same business. The increasing use of these applications is luring malicious threat actors to target them. There are several mobile applications on which the whole functioning of an organization is dependent. A successful attack or breach against such an application can bring the whole infrastructure down. This is the reason why pen testing for mobile applications is necessary. For the same reason, multiple organizations offer million-dollar bounties to identify bugs in mobile apps.

• 75% of mobile apps do not even pass a basic security test.
• 83% of mobile apps at least have one security flaw.
• 25% all applications on the Google Play Store have at least one security flaw.
• 60% of applications installed on a mobile device are not even opened after the initial login.

Fundamentals of Mobile App Penetration Testing

The following are the fundamentals of a mobile app pentesting process:

1. Create a Detailed Plan

To get the most out of a pen testing process, you need to have a robust plan. First, devise a methodology that you will follow as you go about the process. However, each mobile app environment is different from the other. So, e careful while choosing the methodology for pen testing the mobile app.

Consider what aspects of the app you are going to test and plan according to it. There are some processes strictly designed for iOS apps while some are specifically designed for Android apps. Additionally, there are some principles that you can apply to all kinds of ecosystems.

2. Choose the Right Tools

Tools help you automate and streamline your mobile pentesting process. There are several high-performance tools that are available to use for free. While some are proprietary testing software that you need to pay for. Some of the best tools suitable for the purpose are:

• Cydia
• Apktool
• Appcrack
• Burp Proxy
• Wireshark
• OWASP ZAP
• Tcdump

Apart from these, you will get other options as well. It is all up to your choice and more on your requirements to choose from all these options.

3. Prepare the Environment for Pen Testing

A great length of detail is required to have in terms of information before you execute pen testing on a mobile application. For example, it is not easy to break into an iPhone. However, if the tester knows what he is up to and has all the required information, he can do it. It all depends on how well you know the app. You can gather the information manually as well as use the available tools for the task.

4. Manage Your Time

Penetration testing is not only about displaying hardcore skills and leveraging automated tools and techniques. Mobile app penetration testing is a lengthy and comprehensive process. It is necessary to have effective time management skills as well. Sometimes you do not need to test the whole application. Running the test over just one portion of it is enough to get you the desired results. However, all this depends on the discretion of the testing professional.