Complete Android Penetration Testing Guide for 2025

Alright so Android apps are literally everywhere now. From banking to food delivery to random flashlight apps (that ask for camera and contact access… sketchy). And guess what? That means attackers are interested too. Which brings us to Android penetration testing.

Now, I get it. When people hear mobile app penetration testing, they usually think it’s some super advanced thing with reverse engineering and coding black magic. But honestly, it’s not that deep when you break it down properly.

Android pentesting is basically testing an app to find weaknesses that a bad actor might exploit. Whether it’s storing sensitive info in plain text, leaking data through logs, or just poor session handling… it all adds up. And with more businesses building mobile-first, this stuff is more important than ever.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how I usually approach Android app testing. I’ll try to keep it easy to follow, nothing too flashy, just real experience and workflow.

Discover More: iOS Penetration Testing Guide

Android Penetration Testing Tools and Setup

First things first, let’s talk setup. If you wanna test Android apps properly, you need the right tools and a chill environment to mess around in.

Here’s what I usually use:

• Android Studio Emulator or Genymotion (if I don’t have a test phone handy)
• Burp Suite (for capturing traffic)
• MobSF (Mobile Security Framework) for static + dynamic analysis
• JADX and APKTool for decompiling APKs
• Frida (for runtime hooking, when needed)
• A rooted phone (not mandatory, but it opens up a lot more testing options)

Once I have the APK file (either pulled from device or shared by devs), I start with static analysis. This basically means inspecting the app without running it. I look at the structure, manifest file, permissions, code if it’s not obfuscated.

Stuff I usually look for:

• Hardcoded secrets or API keys
• Debuggable flag set to true (yes, still happens)
• Exported activities and services that probably shouldn’t be
• Insecure permissions like reading logs or writing to external storage

MobSF helps automate a lot of this. Just drop the APK in and it gives a decent first-look report.

Dynamic Testing and Runtime in Android Pentesting

Now here’s where things get interesting. After I know what the app does, I like to run it and watch how it behaves. This is dynamic analysis.

So I run the app on emulator or rooted phone, proxy it through Burp Suite, and intercept all traffic. You’d be shocked how many apps still use HTTP or send sensitive data without encryption. And don’t even get me started on apps that don’t validate certificates properly.

Some of the key stuff I test here:

• API requests and responses. Can I manipulate parameters? Change user IDs? Inject something?
• Is there certificate pinning? If yes, can I bypass it using Frida?
• Is there session management? What happens if I log out and reuse the token?
• Are logs clean or are they leaking sensitive data like auth tokens or user info?

Also, if the app uses WebView, I poke around with JavaScript injection. You’d be surprised how many devs don’t sanitize WebView inputs.

One time, I tested an app where I could access admin APIs just by changing one parameter in the request. No auth, no nothing. Scary.

Some Deep Dives and Final Thoughts

Once I’ve done the basics, I go deeper if the client allows. That’s when I bring out Frida, start hooking functions, patching responses, and messing with app logic at runtime.

For example:

• Bypassing root detection
• Disabling SSL pinning on the fly
• Changing return values from security checks
• Dumping memory to see stored tokens

Now I’m not saying every app needs that level of testing. But for fintech, health, or apps handling sensitive data, you really can’t skip it.

Also, don’t ignore storage. I’ve found apps storing login info in shared preferences or writing it to external storage without encryption. Anyone with file manager access could read it. Not cool.

Important Tip for Android Penetration Testing

Always test with proper permission. This stuff can cross legal lines real quick if you’re not authorized. Make sure you’re working in scope and ideally with a signed NDA or contract.

So yeah. Android penetration testing isn’t rocket science, but it’s not mindless clicking either. It’s about being curious, digging into how an app talks, stores, and protects user data.

If you’re starting out, focus on learning how Android works first. Play with test APKs. Break things. Get comfortable with tools. And most importantly, keep notes. Every test teaches something new.

Alright, that’s enough rambling for today. Hope this gave you a clearer picture of how Android pentesting actually goes down in the field.