Improper platform usage
Insecure data storage, where sensitive information is kept without the required encryption or security, can result in unauthorised access, data leakage, and manipulation. Improper platform utilisation in iOS pentesting can expose vulnerabilities such as these. Additionally, if data is not sufficiently secured on the device, it may enable offline data extraction. Sensitive data may be accessible to unauthorised retrieval thanks to insecure caching techniques. Data residue can occur as a result of improper data wipe or sanitization, making critical information still available to attackers.
Insecure data storage
Vulnerabilities result from storing sensitive data without enough protection in Insecure Data Storage during iOS pentesting. Attacks including unauthorised access to data, data leakage, tampering, offline data extraction, insecure caching exposing data, and the existence of residual data following insufficient deletion or sanitization are all possible as a result of this. These flaws have the potential to compromise the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of critical data.
Insecure Communication
Vulnerabilities in Insecure Communication during iOS pentesting result from a lack of secure communication protocols or insufficient server certificate validation. Man-in-the-middle attacks, when attackers intercept and alter data passing between the app and servers, may result from this. Unauthorised access, data alteration, or information exposure may be the outcomes of these assaults. To safeguard the security and integrity of data sent by the app, secure communication is essential.
Insecure Authentication
During iOS pentesting, insecure authentication leads to flaws in the session management and authentication processes. Attacks like session hijacking, brute-forcing user credentials, and session fixation may result from this. These assaults have the ability to compromise user accounts, authorise access, or modify user sessions. To preserve the app and safeguard user identities and data, it is essential to ensure strong authentication controls and effective session management.
Insufficient Cryptography
Insufficient Cryptography vulnerabilities in iOS can lead to various security risks during pentesting. One common vulnerability is the use of weak encryption algorithms. Outdated or weak encryption algorithms, such as DES or RC4, provide inadequate protection against modern cryptographic attacks, making it easier for attackers to decrypt sensitive data. Another vulnerability is improper key management. Inadequate practices, such as storing encryption keys in plain text or weakly protected locations, can lead to unauthorized access to the keys. Attackers who gain access to these keys can decrypt encrypted data, compromising its confidentiality.
Insecure Authorization
Lack of proper role-based access control (RBAC) is a frequent problem. An iOS application’s sensitive features or data may become accessible to unauthorised users due to improper RBAC implementation. Unauthorised acts, data breaches, or privilege escalation could happen as a result.
Weak authentication mechanisms are another serious issue. Attackers can utilise these flaws in an application to bypass the authentication process if it only supports single-factor authentication, employs passwords that are simple to guess, or has no restrictions for password complexity. As a result, they might be able to access user accounts or the application without authorization, potentially compromising confidential data or carrying out harmful deeds.
Client Code Quality
This includes using passwords that are too simple to crack, not validating user input, not handling errors properly, or handling sensitive data improperly. The client-side code can be exploited by attackers to run arbitrary code, change databases, or steal sensitive information. These vulnerabilities can result in attacks like code injection, SQL injection, or cross-site scripting (XSS).
Sensitive client-side data that has not been sufficiently encrypted or obscured is another vulnerability. Attackers can readily extract or change vital data, compromising the security and integrity of the application and user data, if it is not securely encrypted or obfuscated within the client code, such as authentication tokens, API keys, or sensitive user information.
Code Tampering
Attackers can quickly reverse engineer an application’s code to understand its functioning, discover sensitive information, or exploit vulnerabilities if the code is not sufficiently secured or obfuscated. Attackers can examine the application’s logic through reverse engineering, find flaws, and even launch more attacks.
Unauthorised changes to the application’s code are referred to as code tampering and can result in malicious behaviour and security vulnerabilities. The absence of code integrity checks is a serious weakness. Attackers can modify an application’s code to insert backdoors, inject malicious code, or get around security measures if it doesn’t use techniques to ensure the integrity of its code.
Reverse engineering
Reverse engineering is the process of dissecting the code or binary of a programme to discover its internal workings, which can then be used maliciously by attackers. The lack of code obfuscation is a serious weakness. Attackers can readily reverse engineer an application’s code if it is not properly obfuscated in order to obtain sensitive data, find vulnerabilities, or alter the behaviour of the application.
Without adequate protections, attackers can change the binaries or code of the application to turn off security features, insert malicious code, or manipulate data. Unauthorised access, data breaches, or the execution of malicious operations within the application may result from this.
Extraneous functionality
Extraneous functionality is the term for unneeded or undocumented features or functionality that may provide a security risk in an iOS application. Hidden backdoors or debug functionality that was unintentionally left in the production code is a frequent vulnerability. These unnoticed features put the security of the programme at risk by allowing unauthorised access or behaviour manipulation by attackers.
The attack surface and potential vulnerabilities of an application can be increased if it contains code that is no longer required or that has been deprecated. Attackers may use these unused or out-of-date code segments to get around security measures or carry out unauthorised operations within the application. The iOS application can be kept secure and risk-free by utilising regular code reviews, security testing, and secure coding practises to help detect and fix extraneous functionality issues.
Reference:
https://owasp.org/www-project-mobile-top-10/
https://brightsec.com/blog/owasp-mobile-top-10/
