Certified: The CISSP Prepcast

Welcome to The Bare Metal Cyber CISSP Prepcast. This series helps you prepare for the ISC squared CISSP exam with focused explanations and practical context.
In today's episode, we’re turning our focus to Mobile Application Security and Reverse Engineering. Mobile devices have become central to personal, professional, and enterprise operations—housing sensitive data, facilitating secure transactions, and accessing protected services. With this rise in reliance comes a surge in risks. Mobile applications are now frequent targets for attackers due to the valuable data they store and the permissions they require. As a future Certified Information Systems Security Professional, it’s critical to understand how to secure mobile applications, protect them from reverse engineering, and ensure safe experiences for your users and your organization.
Let’s begin by understanding mobile application security. Mobile application security refers to the strategies and technologies used to protect mobile apps from threats, vulnerabilities, and misuse. These applications run on a variety of platforms, such as iOS and Android, each with unique architecture, permission models, and app store distribution mechanisms.
Security in the mobile world is more than just protecting the app code. It includes securing the data the app accesses, the network it communicates over, the APIs it consumes, and the hardware it runs on. This is particularly important when mobile apps handle sensitive functions like payment processing, two-factor authentication, or access to corporate systems.
Common mobile threats include insecure data storage, which might involve writing sensitive data to an unprotected location on the device. Insecure communication practices, such as transmitting data over unencrypted channels, are another frequent issue. Improper session handling, flawed authentication logic, and weak cryptography also put user data and systems at risk.
Security vulnerabilities in mobile apps can lead to privacy violations, data leaks, unauthorized access, and reputational damage. Understanding the core principles of mobile application security helps you address these risks, align with compliance requirements, and maintain user trust.
Now let’s discuss reverse engineering and why protecting against it is critical. Reverse engineering involves analyzing compiled mobile applications to understand how they work. Attackers often use reverse engineering techniques to extract sensitive data, access hardcoded secrets, bypass licensing restrictions, or identify vulnerabilities they can exploit.
For example, a malicious actor might decompile an Android application package—known as an A P K—and search for API keys, encryption keys, or internal logic that governs access control. Once they have that information, they might spoof requests, modify the app, or insert malicious features into a cloned version of your application.
Protecting against reverse engineering helps safeguard your intellectual property, enforce licensing controls, and prevent attackers from gaining insights into your software’s inner workings. It also ensures your organization’s brand and reputation are not harmed by fraudulent or altered app versions.
Understanding reverse engineering and how attackers use it gives you the knowledge needed to build proactive defenses and reinforce the overall security of your mobile offerings.
Let’s now look at how to implement effective mobile application security practices. Begin by defining secure mobile development guidelines. These should cover secure storage of credentials, use of encryption for data at rest and in transit, and secure coding practices for handling user inputs, session tokens, and device permissions.
Use platform-recommended security features. For Android, this includes using the Keystore system for secure key storage. For iOS, leverage Keychain services and secure enclave hardware where applicable.
Authentication mechanisms must be robust. Avoid storing passwords on the device. Use token-based authentication and implement biometric or multifactor options when possible. Secure your API endpoints by ensuring that server-side validation is in place, regardless of what logic is present on the app.
Integrate security testing into your mobile development lifecycle. Use mobile application security testing tools, also known as M A S T, to perform static analysis of source code and dynamic analysis of running applications. Combine automated tools with manual testing to uncover logic flaws or unique vulnerabilities.
Train your development teams on mobile-specific risks. These include improper use of web views, overuse of permissions, and insecure third-party libraries. Developers must understand that mobile is not just a smaller version of desktop—it has its own threat model and requires its own security mindset.
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Now let’s focus on protecting applications from reverse engineering. The first defense is code obfuscation. This technique transforms readable code into a more complex, less human-readable version that is difficult to interpret when decompiled. While it does not prevent reverse engineering outright, it significantly increases the effort required.
Next, use encryption and secure packing tools to protect application assets. Encrypting strings, resource files, or sensitive logic segments can help conceal critical information. Secure packing tools bundle and encrypt the application, adding another barrier for attackers.
Implement runtime application self-protection, or R A S P. This allows applications to detect and respond to reverse engineering attempts, such as debugging, code tampering, or unauthorized dynamic instrumentation. R A S P can block execution, log an alert, or shut down the application in response to suspicious behavior.
Monitor application distribution. Periodically search third-party marketplaces and unauthorized app stores for altered or pirated versions of your application. Counterfeit apps can damage your brand and trick users into installing malicious software disguised as your legitimate product.
And finally, use licensing controls and digital rights management. If your application contains proprietary algorithms, premium features, or licensed content, implement checks to ensure these features can’t be accessed in unapproved or tampered builds.
Let’s now review the security controls that support mobile app protection. Start with integrated mobile application security platforms. These tools provide scanning, encryption, obfuscation, and monitoring features tailored for mobile development.
Use Mobile Device Management—also known as M D M—systems to enforce security policies on mobile endpoints. M D M tools can control which apps can be installed, enforce encryption, and remotely wipe data if a device is lost or compromised.
Encrypt all communications between the app and back-end servers using Transport Layer Security. Use certificate pinning to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, especially over public networks.
Conduct regular penetration tests of your mobile apps. These should include attempts to extract keys, bypass controls, and analyze compiled binaries. Combine results from tests, scans, and user feedback to improve your defenses continuously.
Ensure that you maintain incident documentation and forensic capabilities. If a mobile breach occurs—such as user data being stolen from an insecure app—having logs, test data, and code history will be essential for response and compliance.
Let’s conclude with continuous improvement. Mobile technology and threats change rapidly. Your mobile application security program must adapt just as fast.
Review your mobile security policies regularly. Adjust your practices based on app updates, new platform features, and current threat intelligence.
Analyze incidents to find weaknesses in your development or deployment practices. If an application was reverse-engineered and modified, review how the original version was protected, and identify where improvements can be made.
Engage cross-functional teams. Developers, testers, product managers, legal teams, and security professionals all have a role in maintaining mobile application trust.
Update training frequently. Ensure that all personnel involved in mobile development stay current on new tools, secure coding techniques, and relevant regulatory changes.
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