Mobile Penetration Testing

Your app in expert hands — secure from the UI and local storage to the API

Mobile applications are often at the heart of digital interaction today. Whether e-banking, mobile patient records, electronic door access, or controlling industrial systems: apps process highly sensitive data and communicate through complex interfaces. But this very versatility also makes them an attractive target for attackers.

Standardized web security scans are not sufficient here. Mobile operating systems like iOS and Android have their own security architectures and attack vectors. They are also often exposed to different risks, such as physical access. Redguard helps you identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. With our specialized «Mobile Testing Lab» and in-house analysis tools, we take a deep look under the hood of your application.

The Redguard «Mobile Testing Lab»

To test mobile apps efficiently and under realistic conditions, we use a dedicated test environment for mobile applications, with specialized equipment:

• Specialized test devices: A key question is often how well an app is protected against attacks on a compromised device. Because even in that situation, there are protective measures that can reduce the impact. That’s why we maintain various devices that allow us to simulate such attacks. Only this way can we bypass security mechanisms such as sandboxing and verify whether your data remains protected even with physical access to the endpoint.
• Reverse engineering: Our specialists first decompile your app to uncover insecure libraries, hardcoded secrets, risky API calls, or configuration issues in the source code. This step also gathers key insights needed for the runtime analysis.
• In-house development «PARIS»: With our in-house tool PARIS (Process-Attached Remote Interception Solution), we make the invisible visible. This tool significantly simplifies runtime analysis (dynamic analysis). Even if your app code is obfuscated, we can visualize and analyze important security-relevant events in real time on a timeline.

Efficient analysis with PARIS and OWASP MAS — our technology edge

Modern apps are often protected through code obfuscation, which makes conventional analyses time-consuming. During a multi-day internal hackathon — known at Redguard as our annual Research Days — we created PARIS (yes, in Paris), a software solution that tames this complexity:

• Real-time monitoring: PARIS monitors security-relevant functions related to data storage, cryptography, authentication, and networking while the app is running.
• Risk assessment: These functions are monitored for risk. For example, if an API is called with insecure parameters, a risk is generated, which security testers then verify manually. This increases efficiency and practically eliminates false positives.
• OWASP MAS as a foundation: Our tools and security testers follow OWASP’s Mobile Application Security Project. This ensures we test all areas of an app properly and identify risks that simple vulnerability scanners often miss.
• Our commitment: We don’t just use OWASP MAS — we actively contribute to it. We also develop a reference app that implements commonly seen vulnerabilities. This helps ensure the framework stays current and remains a strong foundation for mobile app penetration tests.

Our approach: a systematic methodology

We follow a proven process that goes far beyond simply searching for bugs:

1. Threat modeling

Together, we identify the most critical assets. We then build a threat model and ask questions such as:

• How is the app architecture structured?
• How are backend services used?
• Where and how is the app typically used?
• What are possible attack vectors?
• Does the app use security measures provided by Android or iOS?
• Are there regulatory requirements for the data or availability?
• What would be the greatest impact in case of compromise?

The answers to these questions form the basis for our further work and guide our security testers during the actual tests.

2. Static & dynamic app analysis

We combine classic reverse engineering with modern runtime analysis.

During static analysis, the app is first “mapped out.” That means we enumerate components, used libraries, operating system features, and initiated network connections. We also examine whether and how the app protects itself against reverse engineering — for example through code obfuscation. The app does not need to be launched for this step.

Afterwards, we start the app. Thanks to PARIS, we can also identify risks that only become visible at runtime — especially in complex app architectures.

3. Server API & backend testing

Mobile apps often communicate with multiple backend servers. That’s why a mobile app penetration test is often performed in combination with a backend penetration test. Only then can we ensure the entire application has been assessed for security risks.

For network testing, we configure our test devices so that we can inspect the network traffic. Then — just as we would for a web application — we test the server API.

4. Findings report & consulting

You won’t receive an automated scan report, but a well-founded analysis including concrete, prioritized recommendations. We don’t only explain the “what,” but also the “how” of sustainable remediation.

If you also need developer trainings specifically for secure mobile apps, we’re happy to advise you as well.

Why Redguard for mobile security?

• In-house research & development: With tools like PARIS, we go where standard tools reach their limits.
• Strong commitment to mobile security: We actively contribute to the global IT security community and help ensure the OWASP MAS security framework continues to evolve.
• Deep testing instead of surface checks: By using prepared hardware, we simulate attacks by skilled actors.
• Practical relevance: We don’t give you a list of theoretical issues, but tailored recommendations that fit your risk profile.
• Holistic view: We assess the entire ecosystem — from source code and local databases all the way to cloud interfaces.

Your benefits at a glance

• Protect your reputation: Prevent data leaks that could permanently damage your customers’ trust.
• Compliance & standards: Meet regulatory requirements (e.g., nFADP, GDPR) and industry standards (e.g., OWASP MAS projects).
• Secure release cycles: Identify architectural flaws early to avoid costly rework after an app store release.
• Direct access to experts: Benefit from the know-how of our pentesters who develop their own tools for the community and our customers.

Do you have a mobile app you’d like to have tested thoroughly? Let’s make sure your application can withstand advanced attacks as well. We look forward to your contact request for a non-binding initial consultation.