Mobile Application Penetration Testing

Expert-led, manual mobile application penetration testing, for iOS, Android, and the APIs that power them.

Mobile applications handle some of your most sensitive data, credentials, payment details, personal information, and direct access to back-end systems. Our CREST-accredited consultants test them the way a real attacker would: manually, across both the client application and its supporting infrastructure, going well beyond what any automated tool can surface.

Mobile Application Test Overview

What Is A Mobile Application Penetration Test?

A mobile application penetration test is a structured, expert-led security assessment of your iOS or Android application, examining the app itself, the APIs it communicates with, and the data it stores and transmits. Our consultants reverse engineer, intercept, and manipulate your application under real-world attack conditions to identify vulnerabilities that automated scanners consistently miss.

Mobile apps present a unique attack surface. Unlike web applications, they run on devices your organisation doesn’t control, communicate with APIs under varying network conditions, and can store sensitive data locally. A thorough manual assessment is a reliable way to understand your exposure.

Mobile Platforms & Technologies

What Platforms & Technologies Do We Test?

We test across the full range of mobile platforms and underlying technologies:

iOS

Native Swift and Objective-C applications on iPhone and iPad

Android

Native Java and Kotlin applications across the Android ecosystem

Cross-Platform

React Native, Flutter, Xamarin, Cordova, and other hybrid frameworks

APIs / Back-End Services

REST, GraphQL, & custom API architectures mobile apps depend on

Mobile Application Test Coverage

What Our Mobile Application Testing Covers

Our testing is aligned with the OWASP and scoped specifically to your application. Every assessment is conducted manually by our consultants, supported by specialist tooling.

Authentication & Session Management

> Login mechanisms, token handling, biometric authentication implementation
> Session fixation, token expiry, and insecure credential storage
> Account enumeration and brute force exposure via API endpoints

Data Storage & Privacy

> Sensitive data stored insecurely on device, databases, shared preferences, logs, and caches
> Clipboard exposure, screenshot leakage, and keyboard caching of sensitive input
> Improper use of platform storage mechanisms on iOS and Android

Network Communication

> TLS configuration, certificate validation, and SSL pinning implementation
> Interception of API traffic to identify insecure data transmission
> Identification of sensitive data exposed in API requests and responses

Application Reverse Engineering

> Static analysis of application binaries to identify hardcoded credentials, API keys, and sensitive logic
> Dynamic analysis and runtime manipulation using specialist mobile tooling
> Assessment of obfuscation and anti-tampering controls

Business Logic & Authorisation

> Testing for broken object-level authorisation (BOLA/IDOR) across all API endpoints
> Workflow abuse, privilege escalation, and unintended state transitions
> Trust boundary testing between user roles and back-end services

OWASP Top 10

> Full manual coverage of the industry-standard mobile application risk benchmark
>Testing aligned to the latest OWASP methodology & attacker techniques
> Findings mapped to OWASP classifications for compliance and audit reporting

Need OWASP MASVS-Aligned Reporting?

Our mobile application penetration tests can be delivered against the OWASP Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS). Whether you need MASVS-L1, L2, or R coverage, we'll scope and report against the standard in a format your team can act on.

Mobile Application Test Approach

How We Approach Mobile App Testing

Our mobile application simulate a real-world attack. Engagements can follow a number of different approaches, guided by your requirements and priorities:

Black Box

We begin with no prior knowledge of the application, no credentials, no source code, no documentation. This simulates an attacker who has downloaded your app from the App Store or Google Play and is attempting to compromise it or its back-end from scratch.

White Box

We are provided with source code, API documentation, and credentials before testing begins. This approach allows for the deepest possible coverage, particularly for identifying vulnerabilities in application logic, insecure coding practices, and back-end API design.

Grey Box (Recommended)

Our preferred approach. We begin with a set of user credentials and basic application context, allowing us to assess the application from both an authenticated and unauthenticated perspective. In our experience, grey box testing consistently delivers the most comprehensive results for the time invested.

Our Test Process

Putting Your Mobile App To The Test

Every mobile app penetration test goes through a rigorous process to ensure you get the best possible results. Below we outline the key stages our testing goes through:.

Understand Your Requirements

We begin every engagement by understanding your application, its architecture, and what a successful test looks like for you. We'll work with you to identify which platforms, user roles, and functionality should be prioritised, before putting forward a bespoke proposal tailored to your needs.

Manual, Expert-Led Testing

We use industry-standard mobile testing tooling to support our work, but every finding is the result of manual investigation, not automated output. This means higher quality findings, greater depth of coverage, and results your development team can act on with confidence.

Reporting Tailored To Your Organisation

Our reports are written for real audiences, not generated by a tool and handed over as-is. Technical findings are written with full exploitation detail and clear remediation guidance for your development team. Executive summaries give leadership and compliance stakeholders the overview they need.

Post-Test Remediation Support

Our consultants remain available to answer questions, assist with remediation prioritisation, and can provide fix checks to verify that vulnerabilities have been successfully resolved. Where compliance evidence is required, we can provide additional documentation to support audit requirements.

Contact Us

Find Out More About Our Mobile Application Penetration Testing

Ready to put your mobile application security to the test? Our team are on hand to provide you with the information you need. Please fill out the form below and one of our team will be in touch shortly to discuss your requirements.

Mobile Application Insights

The Latest Insights From The Pentest Team

The threat landscape doesn’t stand still, and neither do we. Our consultants invest in ongoing security research, CTF competitions, and responsible vulnerability disclosure to stay at the cutting edge of offensive security. The techniques we develop in the lab are the techniques we bring to your engagement.