Posted by: Praveen Joshi
August 29, 2022
A thorough manual for mobile application security testing is the OWASP Mobile Application Security Testing Guide (MASTG). A basic learning tool for both amateurs and experts, covering a range of subjects from the internals of mobile operating systems to sophisticated reverse engineering methods.
Additionally, it offers a comprehensive collection of test cases that may be used to validate the controls described in the OWASP MASVS, along with all pertinent instructions and in-depth details regarding the technical procedures, methodologies, and tools.
of enterprises were confronted with mobile threats employing a variety of attack vectors.
of the 2 million apps on Google Play include a security flaw
of communications sent by mobile devices are unencrypted.
more likely to leak log in credentials are the business apps compared to the average app.
Setting principles for OS security testing is the main focus of this guide. It has many of the following features:
The development and security testing of the mobile application must adhere to a number of security standards, which are detailed in the mobile security application testing guide. The article outlines many techniques, including penetration testing and others, to look at potential security risks discovered in the software.
An essential component of developing mobile apps is security testing. It is carried out at every stage of the app’s development. Gray-box, White-box, and Black-box testing are all carried out to examine all information and find flaws.
Static Mobile Penetration Testing is a testing procedure that checks the mobile application from the inside out. Whereas Dynamic application security testing checks the mobile application from the outside, examining its current running state and discovering security threats.
Mobile apps differ from web apps in that they have a smaller attack surface and hence higher protection against cyber threats. To improve mobile app security, we must prioritize data protection on the mobile and the network. Given below are the key areas in mobile app security:
You must handle user data with the utmost care while developing mobile apps. When an app improperly uses operating system APIs, such as local storage, it runs the risk of disclosing private information to other apps running on the same device.
Most of the logic involved in authentication and authorization is handled by the endpoint. Instead of entering complicated passcodes to unlock mobile apps as they do with web apps, users can employ user-to-device authentication features like fingerprint scanning. Security testers must consider the advantages and disadvantages of different authorization schemes.
Mobile devices provide the door to a variety of network-based attacks, from straightforward to sophisticated. Apps must therefore create a secure, encrypted channel for network connections using the TLS protocol. It’s crucial to protect the integrity of data transmitted between the mobile app and remote service endpoints.
Apps can share signals and data thanks to the increased inter-process communication (IPC) features available in mobile operating systems. These platform-specific features have a unique set of disadvantages. Confidential information may unintentionally be revealed if IPC APIs are used inappropriately.
Mobile apps have a lower attack surface than web apps, which makes them less vulnerable to attacks in some circumstances. As a result, you must create secure release builds and adhere to security best practices.
Security testers must learn to work past software protection measures since they are often used in the mobile app industry. Client-side security measures are advantageous as long as they are implemented with realistic expectations in mind and are not used as a replacement for security measures.
Due to the increased likelihood of mobile devices being lost or stolen, attackers are more likely to gain physical access to them and access any stored data.
