AppKnox

AppKnox is an enterprise mobile application security testing platform trusted by over 300 organizations, including Singapore Airlines, Samsung, and Paytm. Founded in 2014 in Bangalore, the platform combines automated scanning with manual penetration testing across Android and iOS applications.

AppKnox evaluates mobile apps against 130+ security test cases covering static analysis, dynamic analysis, and API testing.

What is AppKnox?

AppKnox is a mobile application security testing (MAST) platform that bundles static analysis (SAST), dynamic analysis (DAST), and API testing into one product. The platform also offers manual penetration testing by security researchers for issues that automated tools can’t catch.

Organizations upload their Android APK/AAB or iOS IPA files through the web dashboard at secure.appknox.com. AppKnox then runs automated scans and delivers results with severity ratings, compliance mapping, and remediation guidance.

The platform targets regulated industries — banking, healthcare, and enterprises with customer-facing mobile apps where security compliance is non-negotiable. AppKnox claims over 60 BFSI (banking, financial services, insurance) clients and 10+ Fortune 500 companies among its user base.

AppKnox also offers Storeknox, a separate add-on that monitors app stores for unauthorized copies, trademark violations, and malicious clones of your applications.

What are AppKnox’s key features?

API Security Testing

AppKnox tests the backend APIs that mobile apps communicate with. This covers authentication checks, authorization validation, input sanitization, and data exposure risks.

SBOM Generation

The platform generates Software Bill of Materials for mobile apps, identifying third-party libraries and SDKs embedded in the binary. This helps track known vulnerabilities in dependencies and supports supply chain security reviews.

Privacy Shield

Privacy Shield analyzes data collection practices in mobile applications, flagging potential GDPR, CCPA, or other privacy regulation violations.

OWASP MASVS / MASTG Coverage

AppKnox markets “130+ security test cases” and most of them slot directly into the OWASP Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS) categories: MASVS-AUTH for authentication and session checks, MASVS-CRYPTO for weak cryptography, MASVS-NETWORK for transport-layer issues, MASVS-PLATFORM for IPC/component misuse, MASVS-RESILIENCE for anti-tamper and runtime defenses, and MASVS-PRIVACY for data-handling.

The Mobile Application Security Testing Guide (MASTG) tests are the same checks security teams reach for during regulated audits, so AppKnox’s reports map cleanly to assessor frameworks without translation.

What does AppKnox integrate with?

AppKnox integrates with 20+ CI/CD and DevSecOps platforms to automate security testing during the build process.

CI/CD Platforms

Jenkins

GitHub Actions

Azure Pipelines

CircleCI

Bitbucket Pipelines

GitLab CI

Bitrise

CLI Tool

AppKnox provides a Python CLI tool for pipeline automation:

# Install the CLI
pip install appknox

# Authenticate with your token
export APPKNOX_ACCESS_TOKEN=your_token_here

# Upload an app for scanning
appknox upload app-release.apk

# Check project results
appknox analyses <file_id>

# Download reports
appknox reports create <file_id>
appknox reports download summary-csv <report_id>

Network Whitelisting

For dynamic and API scans, whitelist these IP addresses in your firewall:

• Dynamic scans: 106.51.36.33, 122.166.147.106
• API scans: 34.72.67.16
• Domain: *.appknox.com

Compliance Support

AppKnox maps scan results to major regulatory frameworks, generating reports that auditors can use directly:

• GDPR — Data protection and privacy compliance
• PCI-DSS — Payment card industry security standards
• HIPAA — Healthcare data protection requirements
• NIST — National Institute of Standards guidelines
• SAMA — Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority requirements

How do I get started with AppKnox?

How much does AppKnox cost?

AppKnox does not publish pricing on its website — every plan is enterprise-quoted by the sales team. The model is per-app or per-organization commercial licensing, scaled by the number of mobile apps (and binaries — iOS and Android count separately) and the depth of testing you need.

A free assessment / demo scan is available so prospective buyers can see the dashboard before committing. The manual penetration testing add-on is a separate SKU, billed per engagement, with reports delivered in 3-5 business days.

For regulated buyers there is an on-premises deployment option that adds an installation and support component to the contract. Contact AppKnox directly with app counts and compliance scope to get a quote.

When to Use AppKnox

AppKnox fits organizations that want managed mobile security testing with both automated scanning and human expertise.

Consider AppKnox when:

• You need both automated scanning and manual penetration testing in one platform
• Compliance reporting (GDPR, PCI-DSS, HIPAA) is a hard requirement
• You want to monitor app stores for unauthorized clones with Storeknox
• Your team needs a SaaS solution with optional on-premises deployment
• You operate in banking, healthcare, or other regulated sectors

Teams looking for free or open-source alternatives may want to start with MobSF for initial assessments. For broader mobile security tool options, see the full category comparison.

What are alternatives to AppKnox?

AppKnox sits in a competitive enterprise MAST market. The most-evaluated alternatives I see in BFSI and regulated-industry shortlists are:

• NowSecure . US-based MAST platform with strong CI/CD and Auto Mobile API testing. Comparable scope to AppKnox, often the head-to-head choice for North American buyers; AppKnox tends to win on price and BFSI references in EMEA / APAC.
• Data Theorem Mobile Secure. Continuous mobile + API + cloud security platform with daily app store scans. Heavier on the API-security side and broader cloud-native coverage; AppKnox is more focused on mobile-binary scanning and managed PT.
• Zimperium zScan . Static binary scanning component of Zimperium’s MAPS bundle. Strong if you also need on-device runtime protection (zDefend) — AppKnox does not ship a RASP layer.
• Ostorlab Enterprise. Mobile + API + web scanner with an OSS edition (Asteroid). Closer feature parity with AppKnox on the SAST/DAST/API side, with a lower entry price for smaller teams.
• MobSF . Open-source MAST framework. The right comparison for teams with internal AppSec headcount who want to self-host and skip a commercial license entirely — at the cost of no managed PT and no compliance reporting.

For a wider category view, see my mobile security tools hub.

Frequently Asked Questions