Mobile app penetration testing

Why mobile app security fails

Developers trust the mobile device too much. They think the app store protects their code. They think compiled binaries keep secrets safe. This is completely false.

Attackers own the device. They have root access. They install custom certificates. They control the network. A mobile app sits in hostile territory. We test your app under these exact hostile conditions. We prove exactly how easy it is to break your defenses.

The Simpa Labs mobile testing methodology

We run a structured, three-phase process. Static analysis, dynamic testing, and backend API testing. Each phase builds on the last.

Phase 1: Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

We start with the app binary. You give us the APK or the IPA file. We decompile it. We turn the machine code back into readable code.

We search the raw code for mistakes. Developers often leave API keys in the code. They leave test passwords. They leave internal server addresses. We extract all of this data. We also check your local storage. We find out if you save user passwords or session tokens in plain text on the phone. If a user loses their phone, a thief plugs it into a computer and reads that plain text data. We force you to encrypt everything.

Phase 2: Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

Next, we run the app on a jailbroken or rooted device. We attack the app while it runs.

We bypass your SSL certificate pinning. We use memory hooking tools. We change how the app behaves in real time. We trick the app into trusting our fake security certificates. Once we bypass the pinning, we read all the network traffic. We see exactly what data the app sends to your server.

We also test your biometric locks. We test your fingerprint and Face ID screens. We inject code into the device memory to force a "success" signal. If your app only checks biometrics locally, we bypass it in five minutes.

Phase 3: Backend API Testing

The mobile app is just a shiny remote control. The real target is your backend server. Once we capture the API traffic, we attack the server.

We hunt for BOLA (Broken Object Level Authorization). We change user IDs in the API requests. We steal data from other users. We change payment amounts. We bypass rate limits on your login screens. This is where we find the most critical flaws.

Specific mobile vulnerabilities we hunt

We test for hundreds of specific attack vectors. Here are the most common ways we break mobile apps.

Insecure data storage

We check the SQLite databases. We check the Android SharedPreferences. We check the iOS Keychain and UserDefaults. Developers frequently log sensitive data here by accident. We find API tokens, personal chat messages, and credit card numbers saved in plain text.

Deep link hijacking

Mobile apps use deep links to open specific screens. An attacker creates a malicious website. The victim clicks a link on the website. The link forces the victim's app to send money or change a password. We test every deep link. We verify that your app validates the origin of every incoming request.

Weak cryptography

Developers use bad encryption algorithms like MD5 or DES. Sometimes they use strong algorithms but hardcode the encryption key inside the app. We extract the hardcoded key. We decrypt your secure database. We force you to use the secure hardware keystore instead.

Root and jailbreak detection bypass

Banking apps try to detect if a phone is rooted. If the phone is rooted, the app closes. We test this defense. We hide the root status from the app. We patch the binary to skip the root check entirely. We prove that client-side checks always fail.

Intent spoofing and IPC attacks

Android apps share data using Intents. If an Intent is public, any app on the phone can read it. A malicious flashlight app reads the Intent sent by your banking app. The malicious app steals the user's session token. We map all your Inter-Process Communication (IPC) channels. We lock them down.

The tools we use to break your app

We use the exact same toolchain that advanced hackers use.

• Frida: We use Frida to hook into live memory. We change variables while the app runs. We bypass login screens.
• Objection: We use Objection to explore the local file system. We dump the keychain and bypass SSL pinning automatically.
• MobSF: We use the Mobile Security Framework to speed up the static code review.
• Burp Suite Pro: We route all mobile API traffic through Burp. We manipulate the requests before they hit your server.
• Jadx and Ghidra: We decompile your Kotlin and Swift binaries to read your raw logic.

Flutter and React Native penetration testing

Cross-platform apps have unique weaknesses. React Native apps bundle a massive Javascript file. We extract this file. We read all your frontend business logic in plain text.

Flutter apps compile to a custom Dart virtual machine. Standard decompilers fail on Flutter apps. We use specialized reverse engineering tools to dump the Dart memory. We bypass Flutter's custom SSL implementation. We test cross-platform apps with the exact same rigor as native apps.

The final delivery and remediation

You get a detailed technical report and direct access to the engineer who ran the test.

The report contains the exact steps to reproduce every bug. We provide code snippets. We show your Android engineers how to use EncryptedSharedPreferences. We show your iOS engineers how to use the Secure Enclave. We show your backend team how to implement strict BOLA checks.

You get a direct line to the hacker who broke your app. We sit on a call with your engineering team. We answer every question. Once you deploy the fixes, we test the app a second time. We verify every fix. We give you a clean certificate of security.

Regulatory compliance and partner trust

Your banking partners demand a secure app. The CBN demands a secure app. We map every single mobile vulnerability to strict compliance standards. We map our findings to the OWASP Mobile Top 10. We map them to PCI DSS requirements. We map them to the NDPA data privacy rules.

When you hand our report to a bank, they see a professional, rigorous audit. They see that you take security seriously. You pass your compliance audits and close your enterprise deals faster.