9 Best Mobile Security Tools (2026): iOS & Android Testing

Q: What is mobile application security testing?

Mobile application security testing analyzes iOS and Android apps for vulnerabilities specific to mobile platforms: insecure data storage, weak cryptography, improper session handling, and platform misconfigurations. It includes static analysis of the app binary and dynamic analysis of runtime behavior.

Q: What is OWASP MASVS?

OWASP MASVS (Mobile Application Security Verification Standard) defines security requirements for mobile apps. It covers data storage, cryptography, authentication, network communication, platform interaction, and code quality. Mobile security tools often map findings to MASVS requirements.

Q: Can I use SAST tools for mobile apps?

Some SAST tools support mobile languages (Swift, Kotlin, Java), but they miss platform-specific issues. Dedicated mobile security tools analyze the compiled binary and test runtime behavior, catching issues that source code analysis misses.

Q: What is the difference between MAST and DAST?

MAST (Mobile Application Security Testing) is specifically designed for mobile apps and understands iOS/Android platform specifics. DAST tests web applications from the outside. While mobile apps often have API backends that DAST can test, the mobile app itself needs MAST for comprehensive coverage.

Q: Is there a free mobile security tool?

Yes. MobSF (Mobile Security Framework) is fully open-source and supports both iOS and Android. It performs static and dynamic analysis and is widely used for mobile app security testing. Commercial tools add features like device farm testing and enterprise reporting.

What is Mobile Application Security Testing?

Mobile Application Security Testing (MAST) analyzes iOS and Android apps for vulnerabilities specific to mobile platforms.

Unlike traditional web application testing, MAST tools understand platform-specific security models, binary formats (APK, IPA), and runtime behaviors unique to mobile environments.

Mobile apps face distinct security challenges: insecure local data storage, weak cryptography, improper keychain/keystore usage, certificate pinning bypass, and platform API misuse.

Traditional SAST and DAST tools miss these issues because they were designed for web applications.

The mobile security landscape is increasingly critical. In 2023 alone, mobile app vulnerabilities contributed to approximately 40% of data breaches involving personal data. Google reports over half of breaches involve compromised credentials, including weak passwords and stolen authentication tokens. Verizon research finds 15% of data breaches involved the software supply chain, including third-party SDKs used in mobile apps. There has been a 180% increase in attacks exploiting vulnerabilities, including poor input/output validation common in mobile applications.

MAST combines three testing approaches:

Static Analysis — Analyzing the compiled binary without execution. Finds hardcoded secrets, insecure configurations, and cryptographic weaknesses.
Dynamic Analysis — Running the app on a device or emulator to observe runtime behavior. Detects data leakage, insecure network communication, and authentication issues.
Interactive Testing — Combining static and dynamic analysis with runtime instrumentation (using tools like Frida) to test specific security controls.

Advantages & Limitations

Advantages

✓Platform-specific testing for iOS and Android
✓Binary and runtime analysis capabilities
✓Detects insecure data storage and crypto issues
✓OWASP MASVS compliance validation
✓Tests compiled apps without source code access

Limitations

✗Platform fragmentation (iOS vs Android differences)
✗Requires specialized mobile security expertise
✗Device farms and emulators can be expensive
✗OS updates frequently break test automation
✗Dynamic analysis harder to integrate in CI/CD

OWASP Mobile Top 10 (2024)

The OWASP Mobile Top 10 identifies the most critical security risks for mobile applications.

Mobile security tools should detect these vulnerabilities:

Improper Credential Usage

Hardcoded credentials, insecure storage of API keys, and improper handling of authentication tokens.

Inadequate Supply Chain Security

Vulnerabilities in third-party libraries, SDKs, and frameworks used in the mobile app.

Insecure Authentication/Authorization

Weak authentication mechanisms, improper session handling, and authorization bypass vulnerabilities.

Insufficient Input/Output Validation

SQL injection, XSS, and path traversal through improper validation of user inputs and API responses.

Insecure Communication

Missing or improper TLS implementation, certificate pinning bypass, and data transmitted in cleartext.

Inadequate Privacy Controls

Excessive data collection, improper PII handling, and violations of privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA).

Insufficient Binary Protections

Missing code obfuscation, lack of anti-tampering, and no jailbreak/root detection.

Security Misconfiguration

Debug mode enabled in production, excessive permissions, and insecure default settings.

Insecure Data Storage

Sensitive data stored unencrypted, improper keychain/keystore usage, and data leakage through logs or backups.

Insufficient Cryptography

Weak encryption algorithms, hardcoded keys, and improper implementation of cryptographic functions.

Mobile Security Tool Comparison

Tool	Focus	Key Strength
Free / Open Source
MobSF	SAST + DAST	All-in-one open-source framework
Freemium
Ostorlab	SAST + DAST	Open-source core (OXO engine)
Commercial
AppKnox	SAST + DAST + API	Gartner Leader, <1% false positives
Data Theorem	SAST + DAST + RASP	#1 Gartner Cloud Native Apps
esChecker	Real device testing	Device farm, zero false positives
NowSecure	Privacy + Security	Data protection analysis, SBOM
Oversecured	SAST + DAST	99.8% detection, 3% false positives
Talsec	App shielding	RASP + anti-reversing SDK
Zimperium zScan	SAST + DAST + IAST	AI-driven, supply chain analysis

Testing vs Shielding Tools

Aspect	Security Testing (MAST)	App Shielding (RASP)
Purpose	Find vulnerabilities before release	Protect app at runtime
When	Development and CI/CD	Production runtime
Examples	MobSF, NowSecure, Oversecured	Talsec, Data Theorem RASP
Best for	Finding and fixing vulnerabilities	Anti-tampering, anti-reversing

Market Changes

The mobile security market has seen consolidation and specialization:

Platform convergence — Most tools now support both iOS and Android. Single-platform specialists are rare.
Privacy focus — Tools like NowSecure emphasize privacy analysis and data protection, reflecting regulatory pressure (GDPR, CCPA, app store requirements).
Supply chain awareness — The 2024 OWASP Mobile Top 10 added supply chain security, and tools are adding third-party SDK analysis.
Shift-left integration — Commercial vendors now emphasize CI/CD integration. Zimperium zScan and AppKnox offer GitHub Actions and Jenkins plugins.
Device farm alternatives — Cloud-based testing on real devices is now standard. esChecker specializes in real device testing without emulators.

How to Choose a Mobile Security Tool

Platform Coverage

Do you need iOS, Android, or both? MobSF covers both platforms. Some tools specialize in one platform or have stronger support for one over the other.

Static vs Dynamic

For CI/CD integration, static analysis is easier to automate. For comprehensive testing, you need dynamic analysis on real devices or emulators. Many commercial tools offer both.

Device Infrastructure

Dynamic testing requires devices. Some vendors provide cloud device farms (esChecker, NowSecure). Others require you to provide your own devices or emulators.

Compliance Requirements

If you need OWASP MASVS compliance reports, look for tools that map findings to MASVS requirements. NowSecure and Oversecured generate compliance-ready reports.

Budget and Scale

MobSF is free and comprehensive for basic testing. Ostorlab offers a freemium model. Commercial tools like AppKnox add enterprise features, lower false positive rates, and expert support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is mobile application security testing?