Mobile Application Penetration Testing

Examines the mobile app’s design and architecture to identify potential security threats and risks. This category also involves threat modeling to identify potential threats and risks.

Here are some techniques for “Architecture, Design and Threat Modelling” category along with their descriptions, based on the “mobile app pen testing guide” from OWASP:

1. Threat modeling: Threat modeling is a technique used to identify and prioritize potential threats and vulnerabilities that could affect an application. The goal of threat modeling is to provide a structured approach to analyzing security risks associated with a particular application. This can be done using various methodologies like STRIDE or PASTA.

2. Secure architecture design: Secure architecture design involves designing an application architecture with security in mind. This includes implementing security controls at each layer of the application, such as network security, server security, and client-side security. This technique also involves using secure coding practices to minimize the risk of vulnerabilities in the code.

3. Security code reviews: Security code reviews involve manually reviewing the source code of an application to identify potential security issues. This technique can be done manually or using automated tools like SAST (Static Application Security Testing) tools.

4. Use of encryption: Encryption is the process of converting plain text into an unreadable format, making it more secure. Mobile app developers should use encryption techniques to protect sensitive data like user credentials, payment information, and personal information.

5. API security testing: APIs are often used by mobile apps to communicate with back-end services. API security testing involves testing the APIs for vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, buffer overflow, or other common vulnerabilities.

6. Session management: Session management involves controlling the user’s access to the application by creating and managing unique session IDs for each user. This technique includes implementing features like session timeouts, session regeneration, and secure transmission of session IDs.

7. Access control: Access control is a security technique that involves controlling access to resources based on the user’s identity and privileges. This technique involves implementing features like role-based access control (RBAC), least privilege access, and multi-factor authentication.

8. Input validation: Input validation is the process of validating user input to prevent malicious input from being processed. This technique involves implementing input validation on the server-side and client-side of the application.

These are some of the techniques that can be used in the “Architecture, Design and Threat Modelling” category for mobile app pen testing.

Tests the mobile app’s data storage and privacy measures to ensure sensitive data is adequately protected, encrypted, and not vulnerable to unauthorized access.

Here are some techniques for the “Data Storage and Privacy” category along with their descriptions, based on the OWASP Mobile App Pen Testing Guide:

1. Data at Rest Encryption Testing: This technique involves checking if sensitive data stored on the device is encrypted using an industry-standard encryption algorithm, such as AES. The pen tester can examine the application’s code to see if the encryption keys are hard-coded, stored insecurely, or if the application uses a secure key management system.

2. SQLite Database Testing: Mobile apps often use SQLite databases to store data locally on the device. This technique involves testing the security of the SQLite database by looking for vulnerabilities such as SQL injection attacks, weak encryption, and insufficient access controls.

3. External Storage Testing: Many mobile apps store data on the external storage, such as the SD card. This technique involves testing the security of the external storage by looking for vulnerabilities such as weak file permissions, sensitive data stored in plain text, and insufficient access controls.

4. Clipboard Testing: This technique involves checking if sensitive data, such as passwords and credit card numbers, are stored in the clipboard after being copied by the user. Pen testers can use a clipboard monitoring tool to capture the contents of the clipboard and analyze them for sensitive information.

5. Memory Dump Analysis: This technique involves examining the contents of the device’s memory to look for sensitive information that may be stored temporarily by the application. Pen testers can use tools such as Frida or GDB to capture and analyze the contents of the device’s memory.

6. Device Access Control Testing: This technique involves testing the application’s ability to restrict access to sensitive data on the device. Pen testers can examine the application’s code to see if it uses secure authentication mechanisms and if it implements appropriate access controls to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.

7. Log Files Testing: This technique involves examining the log files generated by the application to look for sensitive data, such as passwords and credit card numbers, that may be stored in plain text. Pen testers can also look for vulnerabilities such as log injection attacks and insufficient access controls to the log files.

8. Network Traffic Analysis: This technique involves capturing and analyzing the network traffic generated by the application to look for sensitive data that may be transmitted over the network. Pen testers can use tools such as Wireshark to capture and analyze the network traffic, and look for vulnerabilities such as plaintext transmission and insufficient encryption.

These are some of the techniques that can be used to test the security of data storage and privacy in mobile applications. It is important for developers to implement appropriate security measures to protect sensitive data stored on the device and transmitted over the network.

Checks the implementation of cryptography within the mobile app to ensure it is adequately protecting data and communications.

Here are some common techniques for cryptography testing of mobile applications, along with their descriptions:

1. Cryptographic Algorithm Verification: This technique involves verifying the cryptographic algorithms used in the mobile application. The security tester should ensure that the algorithm used in the app is secure and not vulnerable to attacks like brute force, rainbow tables, etc. They should also check if the algorithms have been correctly implemented.

2. Key Management Verification: In this technique, the security tester verifies the key management process of the mobile application. The tester should ensure that the keys are securely generated, stored, and transmitted. They should also check if the keys are rotated regularly, and if the app is using appropriate key sizes.

3. Certificate Validation: This technique involves verifying the certificates used in the mobile application. The tester should ensure that the certificates are valid and have not expired. They should also check if the app is using secure TLS/SSL connections for transmitting data.

4. Cryptographic Padding Verification: This technique involves verifying the padding used in cryptographic algorithms. The tester should ensure that the padding is secure and not vulnerable to padding oracle attacks.

5. Cryptographic Function Verification: In this technique, the security tester verifies the cryptographic functions used in the mobile application. The tester should ensure that the functions are secure and not vulnerable to attacks like hash collision, timing attacks, etc.

6. Secure Storage Verification: This technique involves verifying the secure storage of sensitive information in the mobile application. The tester should ensure that the information is encrypted using strong cryptographic algorithms, and is stored in a secure location.

7. Encryption Verification: In this technique, the security tester verifies the encryption of sensitive data in the mobile application. The tester should ensure that the encryption is strong, and that the encryption keys are securely managed.

8. Decryption Verification: This technique involves verifying the decryption of sensitive data in the mobile application. The tester should ensure that the decryption is done correctly, and that the decrypted data is secure and not vulnerable to attacks like padding oracle attacks.

Overall, these techniques can help security testers identify vulnerabilities related to cryptography in mobile applications, and help ensure that the app is using strong encryption and other cryptographic techniques to protect user data.

here are some techniques for the “Authentication and Session Management” category of mobile app pen testing guide:

1. Testing for Weak Password Policy: Analyze the password policy of the mobile app to identify any weak passwords that can be guessed or easily cracked. Test for the following issues: weak passwords, default passwords, easily guessable passwords, password reuse, etc.

2. Testing for Brute Force Vulnerabilities: Test the mobile app to see if it is vulnerable to brute force attacks. Test for issues such as account lockouts, weak password policies, and inadequate rate limiting protections.

3. Testing for Session Fixation Vulnerabilities: Check the mobile app’s session management functionality to ensure that it does not use insecure session management techniques that could allow an attacker to hijack a user’s session.

4. Testing for Session Management Flaws: Check the mobile app for session management flaws, such as predictable session IDs, session timeouts, and session handling vulnerabilities.

5. Testing for Client-Side Validation: Check if the mobile app performs proper client-side validation of user inputs before sending data to the server. Inadequate validation could lead to vulnerabilities such as injection attacks.

6. Testing for Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF): Check if the mobile app is vulnerable to CSRF attacks. Test the application to ensure that it does not allow unauthorized users to perform actions on behalf of an authenticated user.

7. Testing for Broken Authentication and Session Management: Test the mobile app to check if there are any broken authentication and session management issues. Identify any flaws that allow attackers to bypass authentication or access sensitive data without proper authorization.

8. Testing for Sensitive Data Exposure: Check if the mobile app is vulnerable to sensitive data exposure. This includes verifying that sensitive data is not being stored in plain text or transmitted insecurely.

9. Testing for Authorization Flaws: Test the mobile app to identify authorization flaws that could allow an attacker to access sensitive data or functionality without proper authorization.

10. Testing for Two-Factor Authentication: Check if the mobile app implements two-factor authentication to enhance the security of user accounts. Test to ensure that two-factor authentication is correctly implemented and that it cannot be bypassed.

These techniques are essential for ensuring the security of mobile applications in terms of authentication and session management. By applying these techniques, vulnerabilities can be identified, and the necessary remediation steps can be taken to enhance the security of the application.

Examines how the app interacts with its environment, including third-party apps, the operating system, and other system components.

Here are some techniques for the “Environmental Interaction” category of mobile app pen testing:

1. Interception and Manipulation of Network Traffic: This technique involves intercepting and manipulating network traffic between the mobile app and its back-end server. This allows a tester to inspect the data being transmitted between the two endpoints, modify the data, and send the modified data to the server. This technique can be used to test the app’s ability to handle malicious data and to check if sensitive data is being transmitted in plain text.

2. Resource Fuzzing: Resource Fuzzing is a technique used to identify vulnerabilities in mobile applications by sending unexpected data to the application’s resources. This involves testing the app with a variety of inputs, such as long strings, invalid data, and unexpected data types. The goal is to test how the app handles these inputs and whether it responds in unexpected ways or crashes.

3. Environment Manipulation: This technique involves manipulating the mobile app’s environment, such as changing the time or date of the device, altering the device language or location, or tampering with the app’s file system. This technique is useful for testing how the app responds to different environments and whether it handles environmental changes gracefully.

4. Platform Interaction: This technique involves testing the interaction between the mobile app and the underlying platform, such as the operating system or other apps running on the device. This includes testing the app’s ability to handle interruptions, such as phone calls or notifications, and its ability to interact with other apps, such as the camera or the microphone.

5. Screenshot and Screen Recording: Screenshot and screen recording tools can be used to capture the mobile app’s UI and interactions with the user. This technique is useful for identifying UI vulnerabilities, such as sensitive information being displayed in plain sight or user input being recorded in logs or analytics.

Overall, these techniques can be used to identify vulnerabilities in mobile apps that arise from their interactions with the environment, network, and other system components. By using these techniques, testers can ensure that mobile apps are secure, reliable, and provide a positive user experience.

Analyzes the quality of the mobile app’s code and build settings to identify potential vulnerabilities and risks.

Here are some common techniques for Code Quality and Build Setting as described in the OWASP Mobile Application Security Testing Guide:

1. Code review: This technique involves manually examining the source code to identify coding errors, security vulnerabilities, and coding best practices. Code review is an effective technique for finding and fixing issues that automated tools may miss.

2. Static code analysis: This technique uses specialized tools to analyze the source code without executing it, looking for potential security issues, coding errors, and other problems. These tools use rules and patterns to identify issues in the code, such as input validation, buffer overflow, and SQL injection.

3. Code signing: Code signing is a technique that involves adding a digital signature to the code to ensure that it has not been tampered with or modified. Code signing helps to prevent unauthorized changes to the code and can also help to identify the source of the code.

4. Configuration management: Configuration management involves managing and tracking changes to the code, ensuring that the latest version of the code is always used, and keeping track of the build settings used to build the code.

5. Dependency management: This technique involves managing the external libraries and frameworks used in the code, ensuring that they are up to date, and checking for any known vulnerabilities or security issues.

6. Build automation: Build automation involves automating the build process to ensure that the code is built consistently and that all required dependencies are included. Build automation can help to reduce errors and ensure that the code is built correctly.

7. Code obfuscation: Code obfuscation is a technique that involves modifying the code to make it more difficult to understand or reverse engineer. This technique can help to protect the code from attackers who may attempt to reverse engineer it to find vulnerabilities or steal sensitive information.

8. Secure coding practices: Secure coding practices involve following coding best practices, such as input validation, error handling, and using secure communication protocols. These practices can help to prevent security vulnerabilities and ensure that the code is secure.

Conducts a static analysis of the mobile app’s binary code to identify potential vulnerabilities and risks.

Static analysis is a technique used in mobile app penetration testing to analyze the application binary without executing it. This technique can be used to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the code before the application is deployed. Here are some techniques for static analysis of the application binary:

1. Decompilation: Decompilation is the process of converting the application binary back into source code. This technique can help to identify vulnerabilities in the code by allowing the tester to examine the code structure and logic. Decompilation can be performed using tools like jadx, dex2jar, and apktool.

2. Code review: Code review involves examining the source code of the application to identify potential vulnerabilities. This technique can be performed manually or using automated tools like SonarQube, Checkmarx, and CodeSonar. Code review can help to identify vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows, SQL injection, and cross-site scripting.

3. Data flow analysis: Data flow analysis involves examining the flow of data within the application. This technique can help to identify vulnerabilities such as data leaks, improper input validation, and authentication bypass. Data flow analysis can be performed using tools like FlowDroid, IccTA, and AndroGuard.

4. Control flow analysis: Control flow analysis involves examining the flow of control within the application. This technique can help to identify vulnerabilities such as code injection, code execution, and code tampering. Control flow analysis can be performed using tools like ApkAnalyzer, Jadx, and Bytecode Viewer.

5. Binary analysis: Binary analysis involves examining the application binary for potential vulnerabilities. This technique can help to identify vulnerabilities such as hardcoded credentials, insecure data storage, and weak encryption. Binary analysis can be performed using tools like Radare2, IDA Pro, and Ghidra.

6. Signature analysis: Signature analysis involves examining the digital signature of the application to ensure that it has not been tampered with. This technique can help to identify whether the application has been modified in any way. Signature analysis can be performed using tools like ApkSigner, jarsigner, and Android Studio.

By using these techniques for static analysis of the application binary, mobile app penetration testers can identify potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the application before it is deployed.

Tests whether the app can detect jailbroken or rooted devices and respond appropriately.

Here are some techniques for Jailbreak Detection along with their descriptions, based on the mobile app pen testing guide by OWASP:

1. Binary Patching: This technique involves modifying the binary code of the app to disable jailbreak detection. This can be done by searching for specific code snippets that perform jailbreak detection and replacing them with a code that always returns a positive result.

2. Hooking: Hooking is a technique that allows an attacker to intercept and modify the behavior of an app at runtime. An attacker can use hooking to bypass jailbreak detection by intercepting the jailbreak detection code and modifying its output.

3. Runtime Analysis: In this technique, the app is analyzed at runtime to detect the presence of jailbreak. An attacker can use dynamic analysis tools like Frida or Cycript to monitor the app’s behavior and intercept the jailbreak detection code.

4. Obfuscation: Obfuscation is a technique that can be used to hide the presence of jailbreak detection code. An attacker can use obfuscation techniques like code obfuscation or encryption to hide the jailbreak detection code and make it difficult to detect.

5. String Reversing: Some apps use hardcoded strings to perform jailbreak detection. An attacker can reverse the strings to bypass the jailbreak detection code. This can be done by analyzing the app’s code and identifying the hardcoded strings used for jailbreak detection.

6. Static Analysis: In this technique, the app is analyzed statically to detect the presence of jailbreak detection code. An attacker can use static analysis tools like IDA Pro or Hopper to analyze the app’s code and identify the jailbreak detection code.

7. Jailbreak Detection Disabling: Some apps allow users to disable jailbreak detection by changing a configuration file or modifying a database entry. An attacker can exploit this feature to disable jailbreak detection and bypass security measures implemented by the app.

These are some of the techniques that can be used to bypass jailbreak detection in mobile apps. It’s important for developers to implement multiple layers of security to prevent attackers from bypassing jailbreak detection.

Tests the mobile app’s access control mechanisms to ensure that users can only access the appropriate features and data.

Here are some techniques for testing for “Broken Access Control” in mobile apps:

1. Unauthorized Access: Description: Test for access to sensitive functions and data without proper authentication or authorization. This can happen when the app allows access to certain features or data without first verifying the user’s identity or permissions.

2. Insufficient Authorization: Description: Test for access to sensitive functions and data by users who are not authorized to access them. This can happen when the app fails to properly check the user’s permissions or privileges before granting access.

3. Forced Browsing: Description: Test for the ability to access unauthorized resources by modifying parameters in the application’s URLs. This can happen when the app uses predictable or sequential URLs for sensitive resources, making it easy for an attacker to guess and access them.

4. Insecure Direct Object Reference: Description: Test for the ability to access sensitive resources directly by manipulating object references in the app’s source code. This can happen when the app exposes object references that should be hidden from users, making it possible for an attacker to access sensitive data or functionality.

5. Broken Function Level Authorization: Description: Test for the ability to access sensitive functions and data by exploiting vulnerabilities in the app’s authorization mechanisms. This can happen when the app fails to properly check the user’s permissions or privileges when executing functions or accessing data.

6. Misconfigured Access Control: Description: Test for misconfigurations in the app’s access control mechanisms that allow for unauthorized access to sensitive resources. This can happen when the app’s access control settings are improperly configured or not implemented correctly.

7. Privilege Escalation: Description: Test for the ability to elevate user privileges and access sensitive resources or functionality that would normally be inaccessible. This can happen when the app fails to properly enforce user permissions or when a vulnerability is exploited to bypass security controls.

These are some of the common techniques used for testing “Broken Access Control” vulnerabilities in mobile apps. However, it’s important to note that each app is unique, and additional testing techniques may be necessary depending on the specific implementation and functionality of the app being tested.

Tests the mobile app’s SSL pinning implementation to prevent man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.

Here are some SSL pinning countermeasure techniques along with their descriptions:

1. Certificate Pinning Bypass Techniques: Certificate pinning is a technique that involves hardcoding a server’s SSL certificate or public key in the mobile app to prevent Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks. However, attackers can bypass certificate pinning by using various techniques, such as modifying the app binary or hooking the SSL library. To prevent these attacks, developers can implement techniques like code obfuscation or app hardening, which can make it harder for attackers to analyze the app binary.

2. SSL Kill Switch: An SSL kill switch is a tool that allows developers to disable SSL certificate validation during testing or debugging. However, attackers can also use SSL kill switch tools to bypass SSL pinning in a real attack. To prevent SSL kill switch attacks, developers can use tools like RootBeer, which can detect whether the app is running on a rooted or jailbroken device, and disable certain functionalities accordingly.

3. Dynamic Certificate Pinning: Dynamic certificate pinning involves fetching the server’s SSL certificate or public key at runtime instead of hardcoding it in the app. This technique can make it harder for attackers to bypass SSL pinning, as the certificate or key can be changed or rotated periodically. However, developers should ensure that the certificate or key is fetched securely and that the app performs proper validation checks.

4. Certificate Transparency: Certificate transparency is a mechanism that allows website owners to publicly log SSL certificates issued for their domain. This can help detect fraudulent certificates issued by rogue Certificate Authorities (CAs). Mobile apps can also implement certificate transparency checks to detect and prevent SSL pinning bypass attacks.

5. HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security): HSTS is a security mechanism that allows web servers to declare that web browsers should only interact with them over HTTPS. This can prevent attackers from downgrading the connection to HTTP and bypassing SSL pinning. Mobile apps can also implement HSTS checks to ensure that they only communicate with servers over HTTPS.

Overall, SSL pinning is an important security measure for mobile apps, and developers should implement multiple countermeasures to prevent SSL pinning bypass attacks.

Checks the mobile app’s APIs for injection vulnerabilities to prevent unauthorized data access or manipulation.

Here are some techniques for testing APIs for injection along with their descriptions, based on the “Mobile Application Security Testing Guide” (MASSTG) by OWASP:

1. SQL Injection Testing – SQL injection is a technique where malicious SQL code is inserted into an application’s API input fields, which can allow attackers to manipulate or even delete data in the application’s database. To test for SQL injection vulnerabilities, testers can use tools like SQLmap, which automatically detects SQL injection vulnerabilities in an application’s API endpoints and provides detailed reports on the attack’s impact.

2. Command Injection Testing – Command injection is similar to SQL injection but involves injecting malicious commands into an application’s API input fields. These commands can be used to execute arbitrary code on the server, giving attackers complete control over the application and its data. Testers can use tools like OWASP ZAP or Burp Suite to test for command injection vulnerabilities.

3. XML Injection Testing – XML injection is a type of injection attack that targets an application’s XML parser. Attackers can inject malicious XML code into an API input field to manipulate the XML data being processed by the application. Testers can use tools like SoapUI or XMLInjector to test for XML injection vulnerabilities.

4. XPath Injection Testing – XPath injection is a type of injection attack that targets an application’s XPath parser. Attackers can inject malicious XPath code into an API input field to manipulate the XPath data being processed by the application. Testers can use tools like SoapUI or XMLInjector to test for XPath injection vulnerabilities.

5. LDAP Injection Testing – LDAP injection is a type of injection attack that targets an application’s LDAP parser. Attackers can inject malicious LDAP code into an API input field to manipulate the LDAP data being processed by the application. Testers can use tools like LDAP-Search or LdapMiner to test for LDAP injection vulnerabilities.

6. JSON Injection Testing – JSON injection is a type of injection attack that targets an application’s JSON parser. Attackers can inject malicious JSON code into an API input field to manipulate the JSON data being processed by the application. Testers can use tools like OWASP ZAP or Burp Suite to test for JSON injection vulnerabilities.

7. XXE Injection Testing – XXE injection is a type of injection attack that targets an application’s XML External Entity (XXE) parser. Attackers can inject malicious XXE code into an API input field to manipulate the XML data being processed by the application. Testers can use tools like SoapUI or XXEinjector to test for XXE injection vulnerabilities.

These are some of the techniques for testing APIs for injection vulnerabilities. Testers can use these techniques to identify and mitigate injection vulnerabilities in mobile applications’ APIs.

Tests the mobile app’s resiliency against reverse engineering and tampering to ensure that it cannot be modified or used maliciously.

The “Resiliency Against Reverse Engineering” category in mobile app penetration testing aims to assess the app’s ability to withstand attempts at reverse engineering its code, data, or algorithms. Below are some techniques that can be used to assess and improve the app’s resiliency against reverse engineering:

1. Code obfuscation: This technique involves transforming the app’s source code in a way that makes it difficult for attackers to understand it. The goal is to make the code more convoluted and confusing to read, making it more difficult to reverse-engineer the app. This can be done through various methods, such as renaming classes and methods, inserting dummy code, and encrypting strings.

2. Anti-tampering measures: This technique involves adding code to the app that detects whether the app has been modified or tampered with. This can include detecting changes to the app’s binary code, detecting attempts to modify the app’s memory at runtime, or detecting changes to the app’s data files. When tampering is detected, the app can take appropriate actions, such as shutting down or deleting sensitive data.

3. Certificate pinning: This technique involves hard-coding the SSL/TLS certificate used by the app to communicate with its backend servers. This ensures that the app only communicates with servers that have a trusted certificate and prevents attackers from intercepting and decrypting the app’s traffic. This technique can also prevent attackers from creating fake servers to capture sensitive data.

4. Root detection: This technique involves detecting whether the device on which the app is installed has been rooted or jailbroken. Rooting or jailbreaking can provide attackers with elevated privileges, making it easier to reverse-engineer the app and extract sensitive data. When root detection is triggered, the app can take appropriate actions, such as disabling certain features or refusing to run.

5. Code signing: This technique involves digitally signing the app’s code to ensure its integrity and authenticity. This can prevent attackers from modifying the app’s code without detection and can also prevent the installation of unsigned or modified versions of the app. Code signing can be enforced through app store policies or through the use of a mobile device management (MDM) solution.

6. Runtime application self-protection (RASP): This technique involves adding security controls to the app that are activated at runtime. This can include measures such as data encryption, anti-debugging measures, and runtime code integrity checks. RASP can detect and prevent attacks in real-time, making it more difficult for attackers to reverse-engineer the app.

By implementing these techniques, app developers can improve their app’s resiliency against reverse engineering and protect their users’ sensitive data. Penetration testers can use these techniques to assess the app’s resiliency and identify areas for improvement.