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Mobile Application Penetration Testing

iOS and Android apps tested by hand for the flaws that expose user data and backend systems.

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A Comprehensive Approach to Mobile Application Penetration Testing

In today’s digital landscape, mobile applications are a cornerstone of business operations and consumer interactions. However, they are also prime targets for malicious actors. At Raxis, we specialize in Mobile Application Penetration Testing to identify and address vulnerabilities in iOS and Android apps before attackers can exploit them. Our comprehensive testing ensures your app’s security, safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining user trust.

Our Mobile Application Testing Methodology

Preparation & Discovery

The first step in our process involves gathering critical information about the mobile application and its ecosystem. This phase lays the foundation for a successful penetration test by ensuring we understand the app’s architecture, workflows, and potential attack surface.

  • Information Gathering: We collect details about the app, including its purpose, target audience, and integration with third-party services or APIs.
  • Application Mapping: Using tools and manual techniques, we map out the app’s structure, including screens, functionality, and user flows, to ensure that we discover and test all areas within the app.
  • APK/IPA Analysis: For Android apps, we decompile APK files to access the app’s source code structure. For iOS apps, we perform similar analysis on IPA files.
  • Threat Modeling: We identify potential threats based on the app’s architecture and functionality, focusing on areas where sensitive data or critical operations are involved.

Static & Dynamic Analysis

This phase involves dynamic testing techniques to uncover vulnerabilities in the app’s code and runtime behavior. When in scope, it may also include static testing techniques.

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

  • Test the app while it is running to observe its behavior in real-time.
  • Monitor how data is transmitted between the app and backend servers.
  • Identify vulnerabilities like insecure session management or improper input validation.

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

  • Look for hardcoded credentials, API keys, sensitive data exposure, or improper error handling.
  • Evaluate compliance with secure coding standards such as OWASP Mobile Top 10 and MASVS (Mobile Application Security Verification Standard).
  • Analyze the app’s provided source code or decompiled code, when in scope, for insecure coding practices.

Device and Platform Security Testing

Raxis evaluates how the app interacts with its underlying operating system (iOS or Android). This includes testing whether the app can detect if it is running on a jailbroken iOS device or a rooted Android device, as well as assessing whether sensitive functionality can be accessed on compromised devices. We analyze how sensitive data, such as passwords or tokens, is stored on the device, checking for unencrypted files or improper use of storage mechanisms like SharedPreferences (Android) or NSUserDefaults (iOS). Additionally, we test for platform-specific vulnerabilities such as improper use of Keychain (iOS) or Keystore (Android) and ensure that permissions requested by the app are not excessive or unnecessary.

API and Backend Testing

This involves evaluating RESTful APIs or GraphQL endpoints for common vulnerabilities such as broken authentication, insecure direct object references (IDOR), or SQL injection. We also assess how sessions are created, maintained, and terminated to identify issues like session fixation or weak session token generation. Additionally, we analyze data transmitted between the app and server to ensure encryption protocols like HTTPS/TLS are properly implemented to prevent man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.

Exploitation and Impact Analysis

Raxis will attempt to exploit identified vulnerabilities in a controlled environment to demonstrate their real-world impact. By simulating attacks such as credential theft, privilege escalation, or data exfiltration, we help prioritize remediation efforts based on risk severity. This phase also includes an impact assessment to quantify potential damage caused by each vulnerability in terms of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. We provide insights into how attackers could chain multiple vulnerabilities together for more significant exploitation.

Reporting and Retesting

Finally, in Reporting and Retesting, we deliver actionable results and verify that remediations have been successfully implemented. Our detailed report includes an executive summary highlighting key findings and their business impact, technical details of each vulnerability with proof-of-concept exploits, and clear remediation steps tailored to your development team’s needs. We also offer guidance during the remediation process to ensure vulnerabilities are effectively addressed. Once fixes are applied, we conduct follow-up testing to verify that all issues have been resolved without introducing new risks.

Why Raxis for Mobile Application Penetration Testing

Hands-on testing of iOS and Android apps by senior U.S. engineers, from on-device storage to the backend APIs behind the app.

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Expertise Across Platforms

We comprehensively test both Android and iOS applications using cutting-edge tools and methodologies, employing an approach that combines advanced static and dynamic analysis techniques, specialized reverse engineering tools, and expert manual assessment.

Real-World Simulations

Our team uses jailbroken devices, rooted Android phones, and advanced emulation environments to comprehensively simulate sophisticated real-world mobile application attack scenarios across diverse technological platforms.

Comprehensive Testing

From device security to backend APIs, encryption protocols, and network communications, we leave no stone unturned in identifying potential vulnerabilities and ensuring comprehensive mobile application security.

Customized Solutions

Tailored assessments based on your app’s unique architecture, business logic, industry-specific requirements, and potential threat landscape maximize security effectiveness.

Meet Compliance Standards

Our Mobile Application Penetration Testing complies with regulations like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), or MPA (Motion Picture Association) guidelines. Penetration testing validates compliance by identifying and addressing security gaps.

Protect Your Mobile App. Secure Your Data. Build User Trust.

In-Depth Vulnerability Assessment

We analyze your app for weaknesses, including insecure APIs, authentication flaws, and data storage vulnerabilities.

Real-World Attack Simulation

Our experts simulate real-world attacks to test the resilience of your app against potential threats.

Detailed Reporting and Recommendations

Receive a clear, actionable report outlining vulnerabilities, their risks, and how to fix them.

Proactive Security Posture

Simulate real-world cyberattacks to identify and address vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.

Audit Approved Methodology

Unlike competitors who rely solely on automated scans, our approach remains compliant, as we provide proof-of-concept exploits and follow the NIST 800-115 specification.

Real-Time Collaboration

Through our Raxis One portal, you can engage directly with our security experts, ask questions, and learn best practices to strengthen your defenses.

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A Dangerous Device

Raxis Hack Stories

Our stories are based on real events encountered by Raxis engineers. Some details have been altered or omitted to protect customer identities.

Over the years our team has tested everything from Appstore classics to one-off vertical use cases stacked to the selfie-cam with proprietary code, and sometimes even specialized hardware. This was one such occasion where we assessed an internal point of sales application running on a custom Android-based device.

While testing apps on a proprietary device, our team discovered that the device allowed USB debugging, which let our testers attach an **Android Debug Bridge (ADB)**and execute commands at the operating system level, outside of the application’s security controls. This misconfiguration, along with a missing critical patch, allowed our team to escalate privileges to root on the device and to extract application files. Using these exposures, our team bypassed our customer’s proprietary application view to run any commands they wished on the device.

At first glance, you might assume that custody affords security. After all, only employes had authorized access and credentials to the devices. The applications on this device took payment info such as credit cards for processing as well as customer Personally Identifiable Information (PII). With these flaws, a malicious employee could configure the device to use an intermediary proxy to intercept sensitive data from the device or deliver other localized payloads. While conducting the on-site assessment, our team also observed the devices stored unprotected and openly accessible when not in use. Brazen customers could take them, make some nefarious changes, and then return them to later reap the rewards.

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