Mobile application security testing (MAST)

What is mobile application security testing?

Mobile application security testing (MAST) is a range of methodologies that identify vulnerabilities and ensure the security of mobile apps. It involves analyzing the code, app behavior, and the environment in which the app operates to detect flaws that attackers could exploit. MAST includes static, dynamic, and interactive testing to focus on both the client-side and server-side components of mobile apps.

Summary

MAST helps secure your mobile apps against vulnerabilities that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data, privacy, and system integrity. It helps identify vulnerabilities early in development, during runtime, and through real-time interaction so that your mobile apps can stay safe from cyber threats.

MAST uses a combination of testing techniques—SAST, DAST, and IAST—to assess security throughout the app lifecycle. It is integrated into development and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, making it easy to spot and fix security issues. By employing these techniques, MAST ensures that security measures are built into the app from the start, reducing the possibility of security breaches post-deployment.

Deep dive

Dynamic application security testing (DAST)

DAST analyzes your app during its execution, simulating real attack scenarios without needing access to the source code. It identifies authentication flaws, injection vulnerabilities, and insecure configurations using tools like OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) and Burp Suite. For example, you can use DAST alongside penetration testing to simulate attacks and reveal hidden vulnerabilities in live apps.

Static application security testing (SAST)

SAST tools like Checkmarx and Veracode examine the app’s source, bytecode, or binaries without executing it. This approach helps you identify vulnerabilities like coding errors, insecure data handling, and potential logic flaws early in the development process. SAST gives you insights into the code structure and supports early threat modelling to help you think like an attacker and understand how they may exploit your app’s vulnerabilities. This allows you to implement app shielding techniques that protect against tampering and reverse engineering.

Interactive application security testing (IAST)

IAST combines the strengths of both DAST and SAST by analyzing the app while it runs and interacting with the code to detect real-time vulnerabilities. Integrated into the testing environment, IAST tools like Contrast Security offer you a deeper level of analysis by examining runtime behaviors. It helps you secure apps through runtime application self-protection (RASP) that actively defend against live attacks.

IAST vs. DAST and SAST

IAST vs. SAST

• SAST examines source code in a static environment early in the software development lifecycle, looking for security risks through suspicious code patterns. Despite being easy to deploy, SAST can produce false positives due to a lack of runtime context and visibility into other security measures. SAST tools run during the compilation phase and can also slow down development due to scan times.
• IAST offers more flexibility, working within production runtime environments and providing real-time feedback on security flaws, unlike SAST, which requires direct code access.

IAST vs. SAST

• DAST simulates external attacks on apps by analyzing server responses without visibility into internal operations. Its tests are typically slower, taking a long while to complete and requiring skilled operators.
• IAST provides real-time security testing when the app is running, combining the benefits of both internal and external analysis. It is faster and more adaptable for continuous security assessments.

 

OWASP MASVS and MAST

The OWASP MASVS (Mobile Application Security Verification Standard) is the industry standard for mobile app security. It outlines security requirements and best practices for secure development, including guidelines on data storage, authentication, cryptography, and secure communication.

When conducting MAST, MASVS serves as a benchmark to evaluate whether your app’s security controls are robust and compliant with industry standards, making it an essential reference for effective security testing. This includes integrating threat modelling to identify potential attack vectors early.

While developers and mobile software architects use MASVS to create secure mobile apps, MAST helps them validate that their apps meet security standards. By applying MAST techniques—SAST, DAST, and IAST—security testers can identify vulnerabilities and verify that the app complies with MASVS guidelines. This ensures a consistent approach to mobile app security throughout the development lifecycle by identifying and remediating vulnerabilities.

Examples

1. Banking apps: IAST can help financial institutions safeguard important processes like transaction handling and user authentication by providing real-time security feedback during app execution. Integrating IAST into their mobile apps’ CI/CD pipeline can allow the teams to fix vulnerabilities as they code.
2. Healthcare apps: Using SAST early in software development can help healthcare apps detect insecure data handling in the source code, preventing potential leaks of sensitive patient information before the app goes live.
3. Retail apps: Retail companies can use DAST to test their online checkout process and identify vulnerabilities like SQL injections. This approach can help them secure their apps by examining how they respond to external attacks simulations.

History

MAST evolved from traditional software security testing methods when mobile devices became increasingly central to business operations. Initially, security efforts focused primarily on server-side components. But with the rise of mobile threats like reverse engineering and app tampering, organizations needed a more specialized approach. They began integrating MAST techniques into their DevSecOps processes to address vulnerabilities unique to mobile platforms. Standards like OWASP MASVS formalized MAST practices, providing developers with clear guidelines for secure app development.

MASVS, now in version 2.1.0 as of early 2024, expands its scope to include privacy management, showing OWASP’s response to new security challenges. Testers use MAST tools like Frida for reverse engineering and mitmproxy for traffic analysis to simulate threats and verify app compliance with MASVS standards. This highlights how OWASP frameworks adapt to support modern DevSecOps processes and secure mobile applications across industries.

Future

Advancements in automation and AI-enhanced analysis will shape the future of MAST, driving faster and more precise vulnerability detection. Integrating AI-powered MAST tools into CI/CD pipelines will enable organizations to continuously detect and resolve security flaws throughout the development lifecycle, ensuring secure app delivery without slowing down deployment processes.

Emerging technologies like machine learning will enhance SAST, DAST, and IAST capabilities, providing predictive insights into potential vulnerabilities and enabling proactive security measures. As mobile apps evolve, MAST will play a critical role in ensuring that apps remain secure against increasingly sophisticated threats.

Sources

1. https://owasp.org/www-project-mobile-app-security/
2. https://owasp.org/www-community/Threat_Modeling
3. https://owasp.org/www-project-devsecops-guideline/latest/02c-Interactive-Application-Security-Testing
4. https://mas.owasp.org/news/2020/03/17/international-release-of-masvs-12/
5. https://promon.co/owasp-masvs-resilience
6. https://promon.co/resources/downloads/a-deep-dive-into-owasp-masvs-resilience
7. https://www.ibm.com/topics/dynamic-application-security-testing