Welcome to part two of our Me Confused series. In our previous blog, we looked at the difference between vulnerability assessment and pen-testing. This time, we’ll talk about how mobile and web application penetration testing contrast from one another. So without any further ado, let’s get started:
Difference between mobile and web application penetration testing
It’s important to understand the app environment of mobile and website in order to learn about the difference in their penetration testing process. Typically, the mobile app environment is more complex and intricate than the web app environment as the latter can adapt to different platforms such as Android, iOS, and Windows.
The mobile app penetration testing process involves creating an assessment of applications by looking for security risks in personal and business mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, and their network in a corporate environment.
On the other hand, web app penetration testing assesses communication carried out in a corporate network.
Web app pen testing also includes checking the security of hosting servers such as web browsers and devices with authorised access (firewalls, network gateways, etc.). Web applications are more vulnerable as their data is stored remotely on the internet which is susceptible to server-side attacks.
Is mobile pen testing more complicated than web testing?
Yes. Due to the complex nature of the app environment, mobile pen testing is more complicated than web testing. Due to personalisation and different type of applications—including native, mobile web, and hybrid—the code used in the developed apps for a single environment can be used in other environments.
Furthermore, pen-testing mobile apps involves using an extensive permutation of testing strategies to cover every possible angle that cybercriminals can use to hack into the app. In contrast, web applications are dependent on simulated scenarios in different browsers on a remote network.
Final words
While web apps are independent of platforms, they are connected to the Internet 24/7, which makes them more vulnerable to attacks. At the same time, mobile apps work in different operating systems which make the testing process challenging and monotonous at the same time.
In conclusion, both mobile and web app pen testing requires different approaches as they face unique challenges and risks pertinent to the cyber-attack. Learning about both processes will help you make better choices for your security systems. We hope that now you are clear about the difference between mobile and web application penetration testing.
For further reading: Introduction to Pen testing