A successful mobile app penetration test follows a structured approach that leverages a combination of automated tools and manual testing expertise. Here's a glimpse into the process:

Tools:

1. Static Application Security Testing [SAST] Tools: Analyse app code to identify potential vulnerabilities like insecure coding practices and weak encryption.
2. Dynamic Analysis Security Testing [DAST] Tools: Dynamic Analysis Security Testing [DAST] tools like Mobile Security Framework [MobSF] and Burp Suite simulate real-world attacks during app runtime to unearth exploitable weaknesses.
3. Mobile Network Analysers: Mobile Network Analysers like Wireshark and Fiddler meticulously monitor network traffic to detect suspicious activity and potential data exfiltration attempts.
4. In-Depth App Analysis: Mobile Debuggers (such as Frida for Android, lldb for iOS) and Disassemblers (such as IDA Pro, Ghidra) facilitate a deep dive into the app's inner workings, potentially uncovering hidden functionalities that might harbour security risks.

Phases:

1. Planning and Scoping: Define the goals, scope, and methodology for the penetration test.
2. Intelligence Gathering: Collect information about the app, its architecture, and potential threats.
3. Vulnerability Analysis: Utilise tools and manual testing to identify vulnerabilities in the app.
4. Exploitation: Attempt to exploit discovered vulnerabilities to assess their severity and potential impact.
5. Reporting: Document the findings, including vulnerability details, remediation steps, and recommendations for improvement.