A single static-approach is no longer sufficient to secure mobile apps, with sensitive data and compliance requirements at stake. Many organizations mistakenly believe that penetration testing (pen testing) alone is enough to ensure the security of mobile apps used by millions. That’s why a multi-layered strategy is essential. By combining Penetration Testing (Pen Testing) and Mobile Application Security Testing (MAST), organizations can achieve robust, end-to-end protection that not only strengthens security but also builds trust and ensures compliance. In this blog, we’ll explore how these two approaches work together to safeguard your apps and help them thrive.
Understanding Penetration Testing
Pen testing simulates real-world cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities in code, infrastructure, and logic that might go unnoticed during regular development and Q&A. It involves skilled security professionals actively trying to exploit weaknesses in the app’s code, infrastructure, and logic. Using this method helps organizations prioritize fixes based on real-world risks, rather than theoretical threats.
Integrating pen testing helps build customer trust by ensuring your app is secure and protecting sensitive customer data. This is essential for growing your download base and maintaining brand loyalty, as users increasingly demand secure experiences.
Many regulations and frameworks, such as PCI DSS and GDPR, require regular security testing. Pen testing helps ensure compliance and reduces the costs associated with fines and legal exposure.
Pen testing is typically performed 1-3 times per year and each test requires several workweeks of manual effort.
Understanding Mobile Application Security Testing (MAST)
MAST, like Quokka’s Q-mast, is a more comprehensive approach that encompasses a range of techniques to analyze mobile apps for security flaws. It involves both static and dynamic analysis to identify vulnerabilities in the app’s code, dependencies, and runtime behavior. From code to supply chain, it performs comprehensive testing to pinpoint vulnerabilities early and ensure secure app releases from the start. Unlike pen testing, MAST is used continuously throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and identifies both security and privacy concerns.
Complementary Approaches
While penetration testing focuses on exploiting vulnerabilities and MAST focuses on identifying them, these approaches are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they complement each other perfectly.
- MAST identifies potential vulnerabilities: MAST techniques like static and dynamic analysis can efficiently uncover a wide range of potential vulnerabilities in the app’s codebase and runtime behavior. MAST provides a wide net, offering a comprehensive overview of the app’s security posture across multiple layers (i.e., code, application logic, runtime, network communications, and more).
- Penetration testing validates and prioritizes risks: Penetration testing takes the findings of MAST and attempts to exploit them in a controlled environment. This helps validate the actual risk posed by these vulnerabilities and prioritize remediation efforts based on their potential impact on security.
- Combined approach provides comprehensive security assessment: By combining MAST and pen testing, organizations can achieve a more comprehensive assessment of their mobile app’s security. MAST provides a wide net for identifying potential issues, while penetration testing provides the focused expertise to validate and prioritize the most critical risks.
Together, they give organizations the confidence that no gaps are overlooked, and resources are directed to fix what matters most.
Benefits of Combining Penetration Testing and MAST
Combining MAST and pen testing is more than just a security best practice—it’s a strategic investment in risk mitigation, operational efficiency, and customer trust. This integrated approach not only strengthens your mobile app’s security posture, but also delivers tangible benefits that align with broader business goals.
- Early vulnerability detection: MAST can be integrated into the early stages of the SDLC, allowing for the early detection and remediation of vulnerabilities, which is more cost-effective than fixing them later. This allows you to spend less time identifying vulnerabilities and mitigating risks in third-party code, enabling you to meet go-to-market deadlines more quickly and with greater security.
- Comprehensive security coverage: The combined approach ensures that both known and unknown vulnerabilities are identified and addressed all layers of your app’s security. This dual-layered approach eliminates visibility gaps, providing thorough and reliable security assessments.
- Reduced risk of successful attacks: Proactively identifying and remediating vulnerabilities reduces the likelihood of cyberattacks, data breaches, and compliance failures. This approach protects sensitive customer data, safeguards brand reputation, and minimizes the financial impact of security incidents.
- Improved compliance: The combined approach supports adherence to industry security standards and compliance requirements. For example the FDA requires “medical device software” – including mobile apps – to undergo both penetration testing and automated vulnerability scanning to ensure patient safety and data protection.
- Enhanced operational efficiency: Automating vulnerability discovery through MAST reduces the burden on security teams, allowing them to focus on validated, high-priority issues identified through pen testing. This integration streamlines workflows, enabling faster resolution of critical risks and more efficient use of resources.
In conclusion, penetration testing and MAST are not competing methodologies but rather complementary approaches that, when used together, provide a robust and comprehensive mobile app security strategy. By combining the broad vulnerability identification of MAST with the focused exploitation and risk validation of penetration testing, organizations can significantly strengthen their mobile app security posture and protect themselves from evolving cyberthreats.
