Introduction

Mobile apps power many of today’s businesses, from banking to fitness to entertainment, they assist in driving revenue and providing services to users. But vulnerabilities can shatter this foundation, crippling operations and tarnishing reputations—sometimes for good.

In this article, we will uncover a few of the hidden threats that could be endangering your app, and some of the ways you can fight back.

Third Parties

Some vulnerabilities aren't always caused by the applications developer(s), and may actually come from an insecure third-party they use for part of their service. These hidden risks often lurk in SDKs or APIs handling sensitive user data or app communications. To stay safe, thoroughly vet any third party you rely on. Check their security track record: have they faced breaches or data leaks? Additionally, dig into their documentation to understand how they process and protect your data.

Being in mobile security for many years, we've seen many vulnerabilities in some of the most popular third parties used for mobile applications, a lot of which have not been patched. While we can't share who they are in this article, we can say that it is always good to have a pentest to see if you may be vulnerable.

Data Storage

The way you store your data matters. Apps often store sensitive information on the device, and if not properly secured, can be a goldmine for attackers. You should never be writing data to any medium in plaintext. However, due to the way most mobile OS' work now, any malicious application downloaded on to your mobile device most likely will not be able to access the area where that temporary data is stored. This can however be bypassed in root environments.

Worse, we’ve seen developers hardcode secrets, like API keys, directly into apps, handing attackers an easy entry point. As a secondary measure, your Java should be obfuscated using something like ProGuard. Additionally, you can obfuscate binaries during compilation with OLLVM.

Network Communication

Apps often transmit data over networks, and without proper safeguards, this data is up for grabs. All data you send should be encrypted so that it cannot be easily inspected and or modified, and not just with a simple HTTPS certificate. Certificate pinning should also be implemented so that your app only trusts system-installed certificates.

Developer Blind Spots

Even the most well-intentioned developers can introduce vulnerabilities through coding oversights. Improper input validation can lead to SQL injection or cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, especially in apps with web views. Debug modes or logging statements left in production builds can expose app internals to attackers. Beyond third-party SDKs, general open-source libraries can carry vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

Mobile apps are the lifeblood for many modern businesses, but hidden threats—whether introduced from third-party services, sloppy data storage, unsecured networks, or coding oversights—can turn opportunity into disaster. Ignoring these risks invites breaches that can sink your revenue and reputation.

At PolarEntry, we offer various pentesting services for mobile applications, so if you're ever interested in seeing how we can help your business, feel free to get in touch via our "Contact Us" page.