How to Perform Mobile Application Penetration Testing?

29 August, 2025
No Comments

Do you want to know “How to Perform Mobile Application Penetration Testing?” If yes, we have the best way to introduce you to mobile application penetration testing and the benefits. Moreover, several organizations are hiring cybersecurity professionals with mobile app pentesting skills to solve their issues.

In the end, we will introduce you to a reliable service provider. What are we waiting for? Let’s get started!

What Is Mobile Application Penetration Testing?

Mobile Application Penetration Testing Services in Singapore

In order to identify vulnerabilities, mobile application penetration testing mimics an assault on a mobile application. To find flaws in the app’s code, data storage, and communication methods, testers employ a variety of tools and methodologies.

Finding and addressing security vulnerabilities before malevolent actors may take advantage of them is the aim. Let’s take a look at “How to Perform Mobile Application Penetration Testing?”

Setting up the pentesting environment for Android

S.No.	Factors	What?
1.	Choose a Device and Emulator	For flexibility and snapshotting, use a real device, an emulator such as the Android Virtual Device (AVD) offered by Android Studio, or third-party solutions like Genymotion.
2.	Set Up a Proxy for Traffic Interception	Set your device’s Wi-Fi proxy settings to direct all traffic through your computer’s IP address and that port, and configure a proxy tool such as Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP to listen on a particular port.
3.	Install Necessary Tools	Install necessary tools such as MobSF for static and dynamic analysis, Frida for dynamic instrumentation, Objection for a runtime exploration toolkit, and the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) for device connection.
4.	Root the Device or Emulator	In order to adequately examine the application, you must root the device or emulator because this gives you superuser capabilities, which let you access system files, change app data, and get around security features like SSL pinning.
5.	Configure Your System and Environment	Make sure your host system has the required SDK platforms and binaries set up in its PATH environment variable, then install the proxy’s SSL certificate on the device so it can intercept and decode HTTPS traffic.

Threat Modeling for Mobile Application Penetration Testing (OWASP MASVS/MSTG)

A proactive method for identifying and ranking possible security flaws before they are exploited is threat modeling for mobile app pentesting. You can develop a blueprint of possible vulnerabilities by methodically examining an application’s design, data flow, and interactions using frameworks like OWASP MASVS and MSTG.

This makes it easier for testers to concentrate on the most important threats, guaranteeing a more thorough and effective security evaluation.

Why is Android penetration testing important?

S.No.	Factors	Why?
1.	Identify and Mitigate Security Vulnerabilities	It assists in identifying potential vulnerabilities in the code, configuration, or design of the program that an attacker could take advantage of before doing any damage.
2.	Protect User Data	By ensuring that sensitive user data, such as financial and personal information, is communicated and stored securely, penetration testing helps to prevent data breaches and theft.
3.	Build and Maintain Customer Trust	Frequent security audits show that a business is dedicated to safeguarding user privacy, which enhances its reputation and fosters enduring client loyalty.
4.	Ensure Compliance with Regulations	Many industries have rigorous data security standards (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), and pentesting helps firms achieve these legal requirements and avoid expensive fines.
5.	Prevent Financial Loss	Businesses can prevent the high financial consequences of security breaches, such as incident response, legal fees, and reputational harm, by proactively detecting and addressing vulnerabilities.
6.	Address Business Logic Flaws	It identifies flaws unique to the commercial operations of the application, like the potential to get around payment checks or access premium services without authorization.
7.	Evaluate Third-Party Dependencies	Testing evaluates the security of third-party components, such as libraries and APIs, that are incorporated into the application and frequently provide unanticipated vulnerabilities.
8.	Proactive Risk Management	Pentesting is a proactive security technique that helps businesses develop a more robust security posture and keep ahead of changing threats.

Start with the OWASP Mobile Top Ten to find vulnerabilities

Yes, the OWASP Mobile Top Ten is a good place to start when looking for vulnerabilities. Outlining the most prevalent and important security threats, it is a great place to start and a high-level checklist for mobile application penetration testing.

By prioritizing testing efforts on known vulnerabilities, this method makes sure that the most serious flaws are fixed first. A thorough test should, however, go beyond this list and use it as a starting point for a more in-depth, customized security evaluation.

Suggested tools for Android penetration testing

S.No.	Tools	What?
1.	Android Debug Bridge (ADB)	Installing programs, retrieving files, and examining logs are all made possible by this official command-line tool for Android devices.
2.	Burp Suite/ OWASP ZAP	The network communication between the mobile application and its backend servers can be intercepted, examined, and altered using these potent proxy technologies.
3.	MobSF (Mobile Security Framework)	An automated tool that provides a thorough report on security flaws for both static and dynamic analysis of Android apps.
4.	Frida	Testers can inject custom scripts into live apps using this dynamic instrumentation toolkit, which is essential for activities like evading SSL pinning and altering app behavior in real time.
5.	Drozer	A framework for security testing that works with the Android Inter-Process Communication (IPC) system and exposed components to find vulnerabilities.
6.	JADX	An excellent decompiler that transforms Android dex and APK files into Java source code that can be read by humans for reverse engineering and static analysis.
7.	Apktool	You may decompile and recompile APKs for resource and manifest analysis with this command-line tool for reverse engineering Android apps.
8.	Objection	Built on top of the Frida framework, this robust runtime mobile exploration toolkit provides an intuitive interface for carrying out standard mobile security activities.
9.	Ghidra	The NSA created a complex reverse engineering system that is used to analyze the native code of an application in binary form in order to identify vulnerabilities.
10.	Wireshark	A network protocol analyzer that enhances proxy tools like Burp Suite by enabling you to record and examine network data more thoroughly.

Seven effective Android penetration testing techniques

The following are the 7 effective Android penetration testing techniques:

Learn about Seven effective Android penetration testing techniques

Static Analysis: Examining the files and code of the application without running it to identify security flaws such as unsafe permissions and hardcoded credentials.
Dynamic Analysis: To find vulnerabilities that manifest during execution, including unsafe network communication or memory leaks, test the application while it is executing on a device or emulator.
Network Traffic Interception: Recording and examining the information sent back and forth between the mobile application and its backend to identify any instances of unencrypted sensitive data, insufficient encryption, or insecure communication.
Reverse Engineering: Finding hidden features, intellectual property, or cryptographic keys by decompiling the application’s binaries to comprehend its logic and methods.
Data Storage Analysis: Examining the app’s data storage practices and looking for any unsafe local, database, or preference file storage of private data.
Inter-Process Communication (IPC) Analysis: Assessing the communication between the app’s various components and other apps on the device to identify potentially exploitable exposed services, activities, or broadcast receivers.
Code Tampering and Runtime Manipulation: Using tools like Frida to alter the code or behavior of the application while it is running to get beyond security measures like SSL pinning, root detection, or biometric authentication.

Static Analysis in Mobile Application Penetration Testing (APK/IPA, Secrets, Configs)

Static analysis, a crucial first step in a security assessment, is the process of looking at an application’s code and files without running it in order to find potential vulnerabilities. For Android (APK) and iOS (IPA) apps, this entails decompiling the binaries in order to look for hardcoded secrets, API keys, and insecure configurations.

Reporting Mobile Application Penetration Testing Findings & Remediation Steps

In the following way, you can report the mobile application penetration testing findings and remediation:

Executive Summary: The most important results, their possible implications, and the application’s overall security posture are highlighted in this succinct summary for non-technical stakeholders.
Detailed Vulnerability Descriptions: Technical details of every vulnerability found, such as the component that is impacted, the vulnerability’s severity rating (e.g., High, Medium, Low), and a detailed description of the security fault.
Proof of Concept (PoC): Screenshots or detailed instructions showing how the vulnerability was used, offering verifiable proof of the security flaw.
Remediation and Mitigation Steps: Actionable suggestions, arranged by priority and containing specific code modifications or configuration updates, enabling developers and security teams to address every problem.
Scope and Methodology: A section detailing the scope of the test, the testing methodology, the instruments employed, and any restrictions that arose during the evaluation.

Conclusion

Now that we have talked about “How to Perform Mobile Application Penetration Testing?” you might want to get the best service experience. For that, you can get in contact with Craw Security, offering the Mobile Application Penetration Testing Services in Singapore to several organizations.

During the process, organizations will be able to test their security infrastructure and will get the best security solutions to protect their data against online threats. What are you waiting for? Contact, Now!

Frequently Asked Questions

About How to Perform Mobile Application Penetration Testing?

1. What is Mobile Application Penetration Testing, and why is it important?

Mobile application penetration testing is a security evaluation that mimics an attack on a mobile application in order to identify and address vulnerabilities, safeguard user information, and uphold client confidence.

2. What legal and scope approvals are required before Mobile Application Penetration Testing?

Following legal and scope approvals are required before mobile application penetration testing:

Written Authorization,
Defined Scope,
Third-Party Authorization,
Legal & Compliance Review, and
Liability & Indemnification.

3. What lab setup is recommended for Mobile Application Penetration Testing (devices, emulators, proxy, certificates)?

A real device or a rooted/jailbroken emulator (such as Genymotion AVD), a proxy tool (like Burp Suite) to intercept traffic, and a proxy-trusted certificate placed on the device to decode HTTPS communication are all necessary components of a proper lab setup for mobile application penetration testing.

4. How do OWASP MASVS and MSTG guide Mobile Application Penetration Testing?

While MSTG (Mobile Security Testing Guide) offers useful testing methods, approaches, and resources to confirm whether those standards have been fulfilled, OWASP MASVS (Mobile Application Security Verification Standard) establishes a baseline of security requirements for mobile apps.

5. How do I perform static analysis of APK/IPA files during Mobile Application Penetration Testing?

Static analysis involves decompressing the APK or IPA file, then utilizing tools to decompile the code to look for hardcoded secrets, insecure configurations, and other vulnerabilities in its components, such as the manifest file, resources, and libraries, without actually executing the application.

6. How do I conduct dynamic analysis with Burp Suite and Frida in Mobile Application Penetration Testing?

With Burp Suite and Frida, you may perform dynamic analysis by first using Burp Suite to intercept and examine network traffic, and then using Frida to alter the application at runtime in order to get around security measures like SSL pinning.

7. How can I safely bypass certificate pinning during Mobile Application Penetration Testing?

Using dynamic instrumentation frameworks like Frida or Objection to insert code into the process of an application that is currently running and alter or deactivate the certificate validation logic is a safe way to get around certificate pinning.

8. How should authentication, session management, and authorization be tested in mobile apps?

Examine secure token storage, session expiration, and look for workarounds by gaining direct access to restricted features and APIs to test these.

9. What common API vulnerabilities are found during Mobile Application Penetration Testing?

The following are some common API vulnerabilities that are found during Mobile Application Penetration Testing:

Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA),
Broken User Authentication,
Excessive Data Exposure,
Lack of Resources & Rate Limiting, and
Broken Function Level Authorization.

10. How do I assess secure data storage (Keystore/ Keychain, local databases, caches) on mobile devices?

Examine local databases, caches, and files for sensitive information stored in plaintext to evaluate secure data storage. Additionally, confirm that the application makes use of platform-specific secure storage mechanisms, such as iOS Keychain and Android Keystore.

11. How do I test deep links, intents, WebView, and JavaScript bridges securely?

Evaluate WebViews and JavaScript bridges to make sure they are configured securely, preventing arbitrary code execution and data exposure, and test deep connections and intents by looking at their validation logic to prevent unauthorized access or injection threats.