1. Insecure Data Storage:
Storing sensitive data, such as user credentials, API keys, or financial information, in plain text or without proper encryption.
Improper use of Android’s shared preferences, internal/external storage, or SQLite databases.
2. Unintended Data Leakage:
Exposing sensitive data through log messages, debug outputs, or unintended data sharing between apps.
Leaking sensitive information through Android Intents or other intercomponent communication.
3. Weak Authentication and Authorization:
Lack of proper user authentication or reliance on easily guessable credentials.
Inadequate access control mechanisms, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive functionality or data.
4. Insecure Communication:
Failure to use secure communication protocols (e.g., HTTP instead of HTTPS) when transmitting sensitive data.
Improper certificate validation, leading to man-in-the-middle attacks.
5. Improper Input Validation:
Lack of input sanitization, leading to vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross site scripting (XSS), or command injection.
Failure to handle malformed or unexpected input, resulting in crashes or other unintended behavior.
6. Insecure Local File Inclusion:
Allowing the inclusion of local files, which can lead to information disclosure or privilege escalation.
Improper handling of file paths and URLs, enabling directory traversal attacks.
7. Insecure Use of Third-party Libraries:
Reliance on outdated or vulnerable versions of third-party libraries and frameworks.
Failure to properly configure or use third-party components leads to security risks.
8. Insufficient Logging and Monitoring:
Lack of adequate logging and monitoring mechanisms, hindering the ability to detect and respond to security incidents.
Improper handling of sensitive information in logs, potentially exposing it to unauthorized access.
9. Weak Session Management:
Inadequate session management, such as lack of session timeouts or improper session token handling.
Susceptibility to session fixation, session hijacking, or other session-related attacks.
10. Unintended Platform Functionality Exposure:
Failure to properly restrict access to sensitive Android platform functionality (e.g., accessing the camera, contacts, or SMS).
Exposing internal components or functionality to other apps, leading to potential exploitation.
These are just a few examples of the common vulnerabilities that can be discovered during Android penetration testing. The specific vulnerabilities found will depend on the app’s architecture, the libraries and frameworks used, and the overall security practices employed by the app’s developers.
