How to Perform Mobile Application Penetration Testing on Android and iOS

Do you believe all the mobile apps you use in daily life are secure?

Nowadays, mobile app usage is increasing, and therefore, the types of cyber threats have become essential to focus on security for developers and users.

Testing mobile applications for vulnerabilities is complex, especially when dealing with the unique architectures and security models of Android and iOS platforms. Insufficient or improper testing can leave critical flaws unaddressed, putting user data and organizational reputation at risk.

This blog is a step-by-step guide on how to go about performing mobile application penetration testing on both Android and iOS.

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Introduction to Mobile App Penetration Testing

Mobile App Penetration Testing is the most important process of simulating real-world attacks on mobile applications, thus pointing out the weaknesses and vulnerabilities that need to be taken care of. 

The aim of mobile application penetration testing is primarily to boost the security posture of mobile applications and make sure that these mobile applications are secured against cyber threats. It includes the process for both Android and iOS applications and the not-so-popular BlackBerry and Windows Phone. 

By conducting thorough penetration testing, organizations can identify potential security vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them, thereby protecting sensitive data and maintaining user trust.

Why is Mobile Application Penetration Testing Important?

Mobile devices have become an essential part of our daily lives, and we store sensitive information on them. If your business offers mobile apps, it's crucial to protect user data by testing the security of your mobile application. 

This penetration testing validates the problems that you are having, finds vulnerabilities, and prevents them from exploiting your business while increasing trust and compliance with regulations.

Understanding Mobile Application Architectures

Mobile app architectures differ greatly from traditional web applications. Android and iOS apps have unique components that make up the architecture. 

Android App Architecture 

• Services Activities Broadcast Receivers Content Providers.
• These components allow you to create features in your app. For example, a service can run in the background and update data, while an activity is a single screen with user interface elements.
• To prevent data leakage, it's essential to declare the components in your Android manifest and define intent filters.

iOS App Architecture

• iOS apps are based on view controllers and delegates. The view controllers manage the user interface, while the delegated handle interactions. For example, a delegate can respond to touches on the screen.
• The Apple Secure Enclave handles cryptographic operations, such as encrypting and decrypting data. Your app can interact with the Secure Enclave using the iOS Keychain.

Preparing for a Mobile Application Penetration Test

Before beginning with a mobile application penetration test, it is important to prepare carefully to ensure a thorough and effective assessment. Here are some key steps to ensure you are ready for a penetration test:

Setting up the Penetration Testing Environment

The first step to success in a pen-testing engagement is the proper setup of the testing environment. Here's what you'll need:

• A mobile device (Android or iOS)
• A computer or laptop with internet access
• A mobile automation testing framework (such as the OWASP Mobile Top Ten)
• A set of testing tools (such as Burp Suite and ZAP)

Only having the right tools and setting up the right environment can help. Running the penetration test will be a smoother job for it and will help find vulnerabilities that the mobile app is at risk of.

Common Vulnerabilities in Mobile Applications

The principal strategy engaged with penetration testing is to search for security vulnerabilities and then rectify them. Some of those threats common in mobile application development are as follows:

1. Insecure Data Storage

Information, including passwords, tokens, or any other financial details provided by the users in an insecure manner, shall be vulnerable to hackers by learning how to root or jailbreak the device.

For example, data can be stored in plaintext files, SQLite databases, or unprotected shared preferences. It is crucial to secure data storage in Android mobile apps to prevent unauthorized access and ensure the integrity of the application.

Mitigation

• Set the correct file permissions so only the right people can access them. 
• Use secure cryptographic libraries like Bouncy Castle or OpenSSL, etc.

2. Weak Server-Side Control

Mobile applications that have a backend most of the time employ APIs as a way of interacting with the servers. The inability to perform server-side controls leads to data leakage or unauthorized access.

For instance, exploiting confidential data due to faulty API interface configuration.

Mitigation

• On the server side, it is recommended to have rigid input validation and semantic output sanitization.
• Use rate limiting to prevent possible brute force or DoS.
• For API requests, authentication technologies such as OAuth2 must be properly set up.

3. Insufficient Transport Layer Protection

Any information that is transferred over the network must be encrypted to avoid interference by attackers.

Here is an example of insufficient transport layer protection

• Sending over sensitive information on 401 unencrypted HTTP.
• Not using an encryption protocol in use (e.g., TLS 1.0) or using an old version.

Mitigation

• Force HTTPS communications between the app and server.
• This can include using modern encryption protocols like TLS 1.3, but also modern cipher suites.
• Perform rigorous delegated validation of SSL/TLS certificates to fight Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks.
• A few additional things you can do to secure your clients are to implement certificate pinning.

4. Poor Authentication and Authorization

Mobile applications are vulnerable to unauthorized access if weak or poor implementation of authentication and authorization mechanisms is done.

Here are several examples

• Using weak passwords without enforcing complex rules.
• Lack of session timeouts or improper session management.
• Failure to differentiate user roles and permissions.

Mitigation

• Increase security by enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• Provide token-based authentication platforms like OAuth2 or JWT, etc.
• Secure session management via short session durations and renewal mechanisms and secure cookies.

5. Code Tampering

Attackers are capable of entering a code into an application that eliminates the in-app purchase protection checks as well as the planting of malware in the application.

For example, manipulating APK or IPA files for inserting forbidden code.

Mitigation

• Try to do code obfuscation to make reverse engineering a bit tougher.
• Utilise runtime protection mechanisms that include SafetyNet ( Android) or App Attest (iOS).
• Integrate anti-tampering libraries and monitor checksum integrity during runtime.

Methodologies for Mobile App Penetration Testing

The traditional approach of mobile app pen testing provides a critical process for analyzing and securing mobile applications comprehensively. Below are the essential steps:

Static Analysis

Static code analysis entails examining the source code of an application in order to identify weaknesses without running the code. This technique is very effective in the discovery of hard-coded credentials written in script and other vulnerabilities.

Key Tools

• MobSF: Mobile Security Framework (MobSF) is quite a versatile tool used for the security analysis of source codes of mobile applications.
• JADX: A Java decompiler for a dex (Dalvik Executive) to Java that reduces the complexity of the source codes.

Dynamic Analysis

Dynamic analysis is a method of analyzing an application’s behavior in use while it is running. That is, through realism, testers can identify various scenarios, such as the system crashing at a certain point as opposed to the normal operating pattern.

Key Tools

• Frida: A dynamic tool used by testers as it enables them to alter an app’s behavior in real time.

Network Traffic Analysis

Network traffic analysis looks at the traffic exchange of data packets between an application and its servers. This methodology assists in discovering risks such as sending data without encryption or executing API connections insecurely.

Key Tools

• Burp Suite: A widely used tool for intercepting, analyzing, and modifying network traffic.

Reverse Engineering

Reverse engineering means to decompile an application to analyze the backstory of what makes it work, its architecture, as well as the vulnerabilities that it might have. Reverse engineers play a crucial role in this process by dissecting app code to identify potential security risks and weaknesses in back-end systems. 

Such analysis of obfuscated code is essential in using this methodology to discover hidden functionality.

Key Tools

• APKTool: An Android app decompiling and recompiling tool.
• Hopper: A disassembler and debugger for iOS applications.

Platform-Specific Testing

That is platform-specific testing, where we try to exploit platform-specific vulnerabilities that exist within Android and iOS platforms. This approach guarantees that tests will cover thoroughly how to secure the platform.

Key Tools

• Android: Try to exploit intentions and activity to determine whether there is improper access control.
• iOS:  Assess the cryptographic vulnerability of secure enclave implementation.

How to Perform Penetration Testing?

Mobile application security assessment is one of the key phases of penetration testing—a systematic approach to identifying vulnerabilities in an application or a system. Below are the key steps involved in performing an effective penetration test:

Information Gathering

• Find out the features used in the app, the third-party APIs to be called, and which integrations live on the backend or front end.
• Relearn the architecture and components of the system as much as you can simplify.

Threat Modeling

• It analyses the collected data to find out possible threats.
• Think about which risks are going to have the greatest impact if they occur and what to test next.

Exploit Vulnerabilities

• Exploit the identified vulnerabilities by simulating real-world attacks.
• Try to see how much each flaw can damage.

Document Finding

• Evidence of these record vulnerabilities includes screenshots, logs, or technical details.
• Show what clear improvement steps you can take for each problem.

Reporting

• Write a document that summarizes the findings and their seriousness in your report.
• Prioritized recommendations to help make the fixes to identified vulnerabilities effective.

Tools for Mobile Application Penetration Testing

This contains a list of tools that are very important when it comes to mobile application penetration testing for Android, iOS, and cross-platform. These tools are categorized based on their specific use cases and platforms:

Android Penetration Testing Tools

• APK Tool: For reverse engineering Android applications.
• JADX: A decompiler for Android applications.
• MobSF (Mobile Security Framework): An automated pen-testing framework capable of performing static and dynamic analysis.

iOS Penetration Testing Tools

• Needle: An open-source framework to reduce the effort involved in conducting security assessments of iOS apps.
• Objection: A Frida-powered runtime mobile exploration toolkit for identifying the security posture of iOS apps.

Cross-Platform Tools

• OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy): A feature-rich web application penetration testing tool, also suitable for mobile app testing.
• Frida: A dynamic instrumentation toolkit that enables injecting custom scripts into running apps for both Android and iOS.

Certifications for Mobile App Penetration Testing

Several well-known certifications for mobile app penetration testing can help you develop the skills needed to be successful in this role.

• CompTIA PenTest+: Confirms the education that is required to undertake penetration testing and the management of vulnerabilities.
• CompTIA Security+: Network security basics and risk management are covered in this area.
• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH): Centred on the modern equipment, processes, and strategies regarding commercial hackers.
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP): Indicates good knowledge about cybersecurity approaches and the way they are accomplished.
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM): Concentrates more on the administration of information security programs.
• Certified Information Security Analyst (CISA): Takes time in auditing, control, and assurance.

These certifications, along with the mobile app penetration testing certifications, demonstrate a high level of knowledge in mobile app penetration testing and offer a great way for individuals and organizations to learn and validate the skills needed to protect themselves from today's cyber threats.

Best Practices and Recommendations

To maintain high levels of security that will protect mobile applications, organizations must work towards increased precaution. The following best practices serve as a guide to mitigate risks and enhance the overall security posture:

Regular Security Assessment

Penetration testing and security assessment of mobile applications should be done at regular intervals to gather information about the risks present in applications. 

These exams replicate actual attacks to expose vulnerabilities so that developers can solve problems before they are solved maliciously by hackers.

Implementing Secure Coding Practices

Using secure code standards and secure code guidelines lowers the chances of integrating the vulnerabilities in the code. This includes checking the inputs, the no hard code secrets, and proper authentication and authorization methods.

Staying Updated with Security Trends

Comparatively, it can be said that the security environment constitutes a vibrant network of securities that is updated with time and new securities threats are identified frequently.

Learning new threats, attacks, and countermeasures keeps applications protected from changing threatening factors. Securing every app is keeping up with the security advisories, registering for lectures, and joining a security group.

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Conclusion

Application security and protecting user data require mobile application penetration testing for Android and iOS. Organizations can overcome the risks by following a structured way of addressing platform-specific vulnerabilities and integrating testing into the development lifecycle. 

To provide security and reliability in mobile applications, one needs to be secured, tested repeatedly, updated with the flow of threats, and much more. By introducing Penetration Testing as a Service and automating many aspects of penetration testing, Alphabin makes it easier for organizations to enhance their protection securely.