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Penetration Testing

Mobile Application Penetration Testing

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About This Service

What is Mobile Application Penetration Testing?

In-depth security assessment of your iOS and Android applications — testing the app binary, data storage, network communication, and backend APIs for real-world exploitable vulnerabilities.

Mobile apps process sensitive data, authenticate users, and communicate with backend APIs — all of which represent attack surface that is rarely tested with the same rigour applied to web applications. Vulnerabilities in mobile apps often expose the same backend systems your web app testing covers.

At a Glance

Frameworks
OWASP MASVS, OWASP MSTG
Typical Timeline
5–10 days depending on app complexity
Report
Executive summary + full technical findings
Retest
Complimentary, included in every engagement
NDA
Signed before any technical discussion
What You Gain

Outcomes that move your security forward

Protect your users' personal data stored on-device and transmitted through your app
Prevent account takeover attacks caused by insecure authentication and session management
Identify hardcoded API keys and secrets before attackers reverse-engineer your app and abuse them
Satisfy app store security requirements and enterprise mobile security policies
Meet mobile security requirements under GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS for payment and health apps
Build user trust — a breached mobile app damages your brand and drives users to competitors
Deliverables

What You Receive

Executive Summary Report

Risk overview for product and security leadership

Full Technical Report

All findings mapped to OWASP MASVS categories with screenshots, proof-of-concept, and CVSS scores

Static Analysis Findings

Documented results of binary analysis including hardcoded secrets and insecure configurations

Dynamic Analysis Findings

Runtime testing results including traffic interception, storage analysis, and authentication testing

Developer Remediation Guide

Platform-specific fix guidance for iOS and Android developers

Retest Report

Confirms critical and high findings resolved after remediation

Scope

What We Test

Insecure data storage — cleartext credentials, PII in logs, unprotected files

Insecure authentication and session management
Broken cryptography and weak key management
Insecure network communication — cleartext traffic, certificate pinning bypass
Client-side injection vulnerabilities
Hardcoded secrets and API keys in the app binary
Reverse engineering and tampering resistance
Backend API security for mobile endpoints
Third-party SDK and library risks
Android-specific: exported components, intent vulnerabilities
iOS-specific: keychain misuse, ATS configuration, Plist exposure
Process

How We Run This Engagement

Every engagement follows a defined, transparent process — no surprises, no hidden scope changes, and no invoice for work you did not agree to.

01

Scoping

Obtain app builds (APK/IPA), test accounts, and backend API documentation.

02

Static Analysis

Reverse engineer the app binary to find hardcoded secrets, insecure configurations, and code-level issues.

03

Dynamic Analysis

Run the application in a test environment and intercept traffic, monitor file system activity, and test runtime behaviour.

04

Network & API Testing

Assess all backend API communication for security weaknesses.

05

Reporting

OWASP MASVS/MSTG-mapped findings with proof-of-concept and remediation guidance.

06

Retest

Verify critical findings have been resolved.

Why Us

Why Work With Vigilant Defenders

01

Manual Testing. Not Scanner Output.

Automated tools find known signatures. Our certified consultants find the chained attack paths, logic flaws, and context-specific vulnerabilities that no scanner will surface. Every finding we report is manually verified — zero false positives.

02

Reports Built for Action, Not Filing.

Every finding includes a proof-of-concept, a CVSS risk score, the affected system or endpoint, and step-by-step remediation guidance written for the team that has to fix it. Your developers and your board both get a report they can use.

03

Confidentiality From Day One.

We sign a formal NDA before any technical discussion begins. Your vulnerabilities, your architecture, and your engagement findings are treated with the same confidentiality as attorney-client communications. We have never disclosed client information.

04

We Stay Until It's Fixed.

Every engagement includes a complimentary retest once your team has addressed the findings. We verify that the vulnerabilities are genuinely closed — not surface-patched — and issue a formal retest certificate you can share with clients and auditors.

05

Static and Dynamic. We Do Both.

Many firms offer mobile testing that only covers network traffic. We conduct full static analysis of the app binary — decompiling and reverse engineering to uncover secrets, logic, and misconfigurations baked into the code itself — combined with live dynamic testing on real devices.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about this engagement.

Yes. We test both platforms. iOS testing uses real devices and the Frida framework for dynamic analysis. Android testing includes APK analysis, root/emulator-based testing, and traffic interception.

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Find Out What's Exploitable in Your Mobile Application

Get a free scoping consultation — no commitment required. We’ll scope the right mobile application penetration testing engagement for your environment and send a fixed-fee proposal within 24 hours.