Safely through the app jungle - mobile penetration tests protect against invisible risks

  1. Mobile apps have become an integral part of everyday life, whether for banking, shopping or communication. We discovered a critical vulnerability in an e-commerce app we tested: the pricing logic was only implemented on the client side.</p

  2. With targeted requests, we were able to manipulate prices in the background and order high-priced products at arbitrary amounts without the system recognizing or blocking the manipulation.

  3. Such security vulnerabilities not only jeopardize sales, but also the trust of users and can have considerable legal consequences. A mobile application penetration test helps to identify such risks at an early stage and rectify them before they are exploited.</p

What is a mobile application penetration test?

A mobile application penetration test is a targeted security check of native or hybrid apps for iOS and Android.

We analyze the app from the perspective of a potential attacker. Among other things, we examine the local app logic, communication with the backend and memory and rights management on the device. The aim is to determine whether data is processed, stored and transferred securely and whether there are any potential vulnerabilities that could lead to data loss or a system compromise.

Mobile apps are used every day and process confidential information such as logins, payment data or location histories. A single vulnerability can be enough to access this data or manipulate the app functionality.

A professional penetration test uncovers such risks at an early stage before attackers can exploit them. You gain security, strengthen the trust of your users and meet all relevant regulatory requirements at the same time.

We test mobile applications comprehensively, from the app itself to the connection to the backend. In doing so, we focus on security-critical vulnerabilities that could be exploited by real attackers: 

  • Insecure storage of sensitive data 
    Access data, tokens or personal information unprotected in the device memory
  • Insufficient encryption in data transmission 
    Use of insecure protocols or lack of certificate validation
  • Manipulation and reverse engineering risks 
    Lack of protection against app manipulation, code reading or debug modes
  • Misuse of system rights and functions 
    Unverified access to camera, location, contacts or microphone
  • Weaknesses in authentication and session management 
    Session fixation, missing locking mechanisms, unsecured tokens
  • Vulnerabilities in connected APIs 
    Bypassing access control, manipulating data, overriding rate limiting
  • Errors in business logic and hard coding of secrets 
    Price or role manipulation, hardcoded API keys, insecure WebView usage

Mobile apps are not just about what users see on the screen. Real risks are often hidden in communication, storage behavior or in the app logic itself. That's why we focus on holistic testing: we not only test the interface, but also the behavior of the app, the security of the code and the connection to the backend. Our tests are practical, thorough and methodically sound.

Scoping & target definition 

  • Determination of platform (iOS/Android), app version, API endpoints and test methods (black box, gray box) 

Analysis of the app & code 

  • Static analysis of the app file (APK/IPA), identification of embedded information
  • Dynamic analysis of behavior during use 

Manual attack simulation 

  • Realistic attacks on communication, local storage, authentication and rights
  • Check for tamper protection, root/jailbreak detection, etc. 

Backend/API analysis 

  • Check all interfaces for access control, data validation and authentication 

Reporting & debriefing 

  • Executive summary
  • Technical report incl. risk classification (CVSS)
  • Recommendations for immediate measures & sustainable improvements
  • On request: Joint final meeting & post-test to confirm closed gaps