How secure is your mobile app, really?
Your mobile app is probably one of the main ways customers, employees, or partners deal with your business. It might be a banking app, a shopping app, a healthcare platform, or a portal people carry in their pocket. Whatever it does, it likely handles information people trust you with.
That trust is easy to lose. Weak logins, data stored carelessly on the device, insecure APIs, or poor encryption can all put your app and its users at risk. We find those weaknesses before an attacker does.
At Sunvak Boreal, we look at the whole picture: the app itself, how it talks to your backend services and APIs, how people log in, and how data is stored. We don’t just list vulnerabilities. We explain what they could mean for you and give your developers and security team practical fixes.
Want to know how secure your mobile app really is? Talk to Sunvak Boreal about what you need tested.
What is mobile application penetration testing?
It’s a controlled security test of your mobile app and the systems it connects to. We can cover Android apps, iOS apps, backend APIs, login mechanisms, local data storage, network communication, and app configuration.
The goal is to find weaknesses that could let an attacker:
- Get at sensitive information
- Bypass logins or other security controls
- Reach functions they shouldn’t
- Tamper with the requests your app sends
- Pull sensitive data off a device
- Misuse your backend services
- Abuse how the app is meant to work
Testing happens within a scope we agree on, using controlled procedures designed to keep disruption to a minimum.
Why it’s worth doing
Mobile apps handle a lot: customer details, payment information, login data, personal information, business data, and credentials. A weakness in the app or in the systems behind it can put both your organisation and your users at risk.
Testing helps you see how your authentication and authorisation hold up, whether data is stored and transmitted safely, how your APIs behave, and how an attacker might move through the app. You’ll also know which findings to tackle first, with support for fixing them.
What we test
Android apps. Android apps can hold application logic, local data, login information, and API settings. We look at the app itself, data storage, authentication, authorisation, and how it communicates with backend systems, searching for weaknesses that could be exploited.
iOS apps. iOS apps need strong protection for data and user information too. Based on the agreed scope, we look at data storage, authentication, network communication, configuration, and API interactions.
Authentication. We check login, password rules, tokens, session handling, and account recovery, looking for any way an unauthorised person could get in.
Authorisation and access control. A logged-in user should only reach what they’re allowed to. We check whether people can get to restricted features or information.
Data storage. Apps often keep information on the device, such as login data, personal details, or configuration. We check whether it’s stored securely and properly protected.
Network communication. We look at how your app talks to backend systems, including encryption, certificate validation, and insecure connections.
APIs. Many mobile apps lean heavily on APIs, and a flaw there can affect the app and its users. We check authentication, authorisation, access controls, data exposure, and input handling.
App configuration. Settings inside the app can affect security. We look for unnecessary exposure, insecure settings, and information leaks.
Business logic. Not every flaw is a coding mistake. Sometimes a workflow can be manipulated in a way the developer never intended. We look for those gaps too.
How we work
1. Scope and planning. We start by learning about your app, technology stack, backend services, APIs, and security needs. Then we agree what’s in scope: which apps, versions, environments, APIs, accounts, and functions.
2. Application discovery. We explore how the app works and identify the areas that matter, including authentication, permissions, local storage, network communication, APIs, and user roles.
3. Security testing. We run controlled tests within the agreed scope, using an approach that suits your platform, architecture, and goals. We draw on OWASP’s Mobile Application Security Testing Guide, which covers how to assess mobile app security across many areas.
4. Validation. Where it makes sense, we confirm whether a finding is a real risk and what its impact could be.
5. Risk prioritisation. Not every issue is equally important. We weigh how easy it is to exploit, the likely impact, the affected functionality, the data involved, and the app’s environment.
6. Reporting. For each issue, the report explains what we found, where it is, why it matters, the potential impact, the technical details, and how to fix it.
7. Fixes and retesting. Once you’ve made changes, we can test again to confirm the issues are resolved, so you know the fixes were done correctly.
What we test for
Depending on your app and scope, that can include insecure data storage, weak authentication, broken authorisation, insecure communication, weak cryptography, sensitive information exposure, insecure API communication, improper session management, and configuration issues. We also look at insecure permissions, code-level weaknesses, client-side vulnerabilities, improper input validation, business logic flaws, information disclosure, weak certificate validation, and debugging or logging exposure.
The exact areas depend on your app’s architecture, platform, technology, features, and the scope we agree.
Android and iOS
On Android, we can look at app components, local data storage, permissions, authentication, network communication, APIs, and configuration, and find weaknesses that might expose data or functionality.
On iOS, we look at secure data storage, authentication, communication, APIs, permissions, configuration, and other controls.
Either way, we adapt the approach to your app and what you need.
Scanning vs. penetration testing
Automated scanning can quickly flag potential issues in a mobile app. Penetration testing takes a broader view. A person examines how the app behaves, how it handles data, how authentication and authorisation work, how it uses APIs, and what attack paths exist. That gives you context automated scans often miss. Many teams use both.
Different apps, different risks
Banking and financial apps handle account information, transactions, and payment details. We look at authentication, authorisation, data storage, APIs, and other critical areas.
Healthcare apps may process sensitive health-related information. We look for weaknesses that could expose data or functionality.
E-commerce apps handle accounts, orders, payments, and addresses. We look across authentication, features, APIs, data storage, and business logic.
Business and employee apps give staff access to company systems and sensitive information. Testing shows whether your controls are protecting that access.
SaaS and customer apps often use mobile apps as the way in to backend services. We assess the app and its API interactions together.
Why Sunvak Boreal
Practical testing. We focus on how vulnerabilities could affect your app, not just on producing a technical list.
Risk in context. Issues have different levels of impact, so we help your team focus on what needs attention.
App and API expertise. Mobile apps are closely tied to APIs and backend systems, and our wider capabilities give you a more complete view of what can be attacked.
Clear reporting. Both security and development teams should be able to follow the findings, so we keep them clear and practical.
We stay for the fix. Finding a vulnerability is only the beginning. Retesting checks the issues have really been dealt with.
When to test
Testing can help throughout your app’s life. It’s especially useful before you launch a new app or release a major update, and after significant code changes, new APIs, or changes to authentication. It also makes sense before moving backend services into production, when you handle sensitive information, following a security incident, during regular security assessments, and before security or compliance reviews.
Testing after big changes helps you catch new weaknesses before they grow.
Who needs it
If you run Android or iOS apps, banking or financial apps, healthcare apps, e-commerce apps, SaaS mobile apps, employee apps, customer portals, business apps, apps connected to APIs, or anything that handles sensitive information, this is for you. We tailor the assessment to your app, technology, business needs, and security goals.
Strengthen your mobile app security
A mobile app is more than a screen. It connects people to APIs, databases, cloud services, authentication systems, and the business functions you depend on. That makes its security a real part of your overall cybersecurity strategy.
A penetration test lets you check those controls in a controlled setting and find weaknesses before attackers do. We help you identify vulnerabilities, understand the risks, prioritise the findings, and take practical steps to improve.
Looking for a mobile app penetration testing team? Contact Sunvak Boreal to talk about your Android or iOS app.
FAQs
What is mobile application penetration testing?
A controlled security assessment that finds and validates vulnerabilities in mobile apps and the backend services they rely on.
What does it cover?
Depending on scope: authentication, authorisation, data storage, network communication, APIs, configuration, encryption, permissions, business logic, and other relevant areas.
Do you test both Android and iOS?
Yes, depending on the agreed scope and your requirements.
What are common mobile app vulnerabilities?
Insecure data storage, weak authentication, broken access controls, insecure communication, sensitive information exposure, weak cryptography, insecure API interactions, configuration issues, and business logic flaws.
Is API security included?
It can be, when APIs are in the agreed scope. Since many mobile apps depend heavily on backend APIs, API security is often an important part of the assessment.
How is it different from vulnerability scanning?
Scanning generally uses automated techniques to flag potential weaknesses. Penetration testing goes deeper, validating app behaviour, security controls, data handling, and attack paths.
When should we test?
Before a launch, after major updates, after significant security or API changes, during regular security assessments, or when preparing for security requirements.
What happens afterwards?
We document and prioritise the findings, your teams work on fixes, and we can retest to confirm they’re resolved.
Test your mobile app before attackers do
Your app connects people to your digital environment, so make sure the security protecting that connection is doing its job. Contact Sunvak Boreal to talk about mobile app penetration testing and find out where your app could be stronger.