Mobile Application Penetration Testing Cheat Sheet

A mobile application penetration testing cheat sheet is a guide for penetration testers that provides them with quick access to best practices, tools, and techniques for testing mobile applications for vulnerabilities. It includes information on common mobile application vulnerabilities, testing methodologies, tools, and techniques. Here is a detailed mobile application penetration testing cheat sheet:

1.Information Gathering
The first step in mobile application penetration testing is information gathering. This involves gathering information about the mobile application, including the version, platform, and functionality. Some of the tools that can be used for information gathering include:

Mobile Application Stores: Check the application store to gather information on the application, including the version, platform, and user reviews.

APK Analyzer: Use an APK analyzer tool to decompile and analyze the APK file.

Mobile Device Emulators: Use mobile device emulators, such as the Android Emulator or iOS Simulator, to test the application in a simulated environment.

2.Static Analysis
Static analysis involves analyzing the mobile application’s source code for vulnerabilities. It is an essential step in identifying potential security weaknesses in the application. Some of the tools that can be used for static analysis include:

AndroGuard: AndroGuard is a tool that can be used to decompile, analyze, and reverse engineer Android applications.

Dex2Jar: Dex2Jar is a tool that can be used to convert Android .dex files to Java .jar files.

Jadx: Jadx is a tool that can be used to decompile and analyze Android applications.

3.Dynamic Analysis
Dynamic analysis involves testing the application in a live environment to identify vulnerabilities. It is a crucial step in identifying potential security weaknesses in the application. Some of the tools that can be used for dynamic analysis include:

Burp Suite: Burp Suite is a web application testing tool that can be used to test mobile applications.

OWASP ZAP: OWASP ZAP is a free and open-source web application testing tool that can be used to test mobile applications.

Fiddler: Fiddler is a web debugging tool that can be used to analyze web traffic from mobile applications.

4.Network Analysis
Network analysis involves analyzing the network traffic generated by the mobile application. It is an essential step in identifying potential security weaknesses in the application. Some of the tools that can be used for network analysis include:

Wireshark: Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer that can be used to capture and analyze network traffic.

Tcpdump: Tcpdump is a command-line tool that can be used to capture and analyze network traffic.

Charles Proxy: Charles Proxy is a web debugging tool that can be used to analyze web traffic from mobile applications.

5.Runtime Analysis
Runtime analysis involves analyzing the mobile application’s behavior in a live environment. It is an essential step in identifying potential security weaknesses in the application. Some of the tools that can be used for runtime analysis include:

Frida: Frida is a dynamic instrumentation tool that can be used to intercept and manipulate mobile application behavior.

AppMon: AppMon is a tool that can be used to monitor the mobile application’s runtime behavior.

Xposed: Xposed is a framework that can be used to modify the mobile application’s behavior.

6.Malware Analysis
Malware analysis involves analyzing the mobile application for malware. It is an essential step in identifying potential security weaknesses in the application. Some of the tools that can be used for malware analysis include:

VirusTotal: VirusTotal is a free online tool that can be used to scan the mobile application for malware.

AndroTotal: AndroTotal is a free online tool that can be used to scan Android applications for malware.

APKScan: APKScan is a free online tool that can be used to scan Android applications for malware.