Introduction
iOS penetration testing involves assessing the security of iOS applications and devices to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors. This cheatsheet compiles essential commands, tools, and methodologies to streamline your pentesting workflow.
Setup & Installation
Prerequisites
- macOS: Required for most iOS pentesting tools.
- Xcode: Install from the Mac App Store.
- Homebrew: Package manager for macOS. Install with:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
Installing Essential Tools
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
Burp Suite:
brew install --cask burp-suite
Frida:
brew install frida
Objection:
brew install objection
Cycript:
brew install cycript
Tools
1. Burp Suite
A powerful web vulnerability scanner and proxy tool.
Usage: Intercept and modify traffic between the iOS app and the server.
2. Frida
A dynamic instrumentation toolkit for developers, reverse-engineers, and security researchers.
Usage: Inject scripts into iOS apps to bypass security mechanisms.
3. Objection
Runtime mobile exploration toolkit powered by Frida.
Usage: Jailbreak-free mobile exploration.
4. Cycript
A tool that combines JavaScript and Objective-C.
Usage: Inspect and modify iOS apps at runtime.
5. Xcode
Apple’s IDE for macOS, used for developing iOS applications.
Usage: Reverse engineer and debug iOS applications.
Common Techniques
- Reconnaissance
Identify Target App:
ideviceinstaller -l
Extract IPA:
ideviceinstaller -u <UDID> -i <AppName>
Exploitation
Bypass SSL Pinning with Frida:
// frida script to bypass SSL pinning
Hooking Functions:
frida -U -f com.target.app -l hook.js --no-pause
Post-Exploitation
Dumping Application Data:
objection -U -g com.target.app explore
Extracting Sensitive Information:
cycript -p <PID>
I hope this iOS Penetration Testing cheatsheet helped you understand the essential tools, commands, and methodologies used during an iOS security assessment. Whether you’re just starting out or refining your mobile pentesting skills, these fundamentals are crucial for building a strong foundation.
That wraps up Day 1 of our journey into iOS security.
We’ll meet again in the next blog, where we’ll dive deeper into advanced techniques and real-world testing scenarios in Day 2.
I hope you enjoyed this post —
Are you ready for Day 2?
