testing-mobile-api-authentication

---
name: testing-mobile-api-authentication
description: Tests authentication and authorization mechanisms in mobile application
license: Apache-2.0
---

# Testing Mobile API Authentication

## When to Use

Use this skill when:
- Assessing mobile app backend API authentication during penetration tests
- Testing JWT token implementation for common vulnerabilities (none algorithm, weak signing)
- Evaluating OAuth 2.0 / OIDC flows in mobile applications for redirect, PKCE, and scope issues
- Testing for broken object-level authorization (BOLA/IDOR) in API endpoints

**Do not use** this skill against production APIs without explicit authorization and rate-limiting awareness.

## Prerequisites

- Burp Suite or mitmproxy configured as mobile device proxy
- SSL pinning bypassed on target application (if implemented)
- Valid test account credentials for the target application
- Postman or curl for API request crafting
- jwt.io or PyJWT for JWT analysis and manipulation

## Workflow

### Step 1: Map Authentication Endpoints

Intercept mobile app traffic to identify authentication-related endpoints:

```
POST /api/v1/auth/login          - Initial authentication
POST /api/v1/auth/register       - Account registration
POST /api/v1/auth/refresh        - Token refresh
POST /api/v1/auth/logout         - Session termination
POST /api/v1/auth/forgot-password - Password reset
POST /api/v1/auth/verify-otp     - OTP verification
GET  /api/v1/auth/me             - Authenticated user profile
```

### Step 2: Analyze Token Format and Security

**JWT Analysis:**
```bash
# Decode JWT without verification
echo "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIs..." | cut -d. -f2 | base64 -d 2>/dev/null

# Check for common JWT vulnerabilities:
# 1. None algorithm attack
# Change header to: {"alg":"none","typ":"JWT"}
# Remove signature: header.payload.

# 2. Algorithm confusion (RS256 to HS256)
# If server uses RS256, try HS256 with public key as secret

# 3. Weak signing key
# Use hashcat or jwt-cracker to brute-force HMAC secret
hashcat -m 16500 jwt.txt wordlist.txt

# 4. Expiration bypass
# Modify "exp" claim to future timestamp
```

**Opaque Token Analysis:**
```
- Test token length and entropy
- Check if tokens are sequential/predictable
- Test token reuse after logout
- Verify token invalidation on password change
```

### Step 3: Test Authentication Bypass

```bash
# Test missing authentication
curl -X GET https://api.target.com/api/v1/users/profile

# Test with empty/null token
curl -X GET https://api.target.com/api/v1/users/profile \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer "

curl -X GET https://api.target.com/api/v1/users/profile \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer null"

# Test with expired token (should fail)
curl -X GET https://api.target.com/api/v1/users/profile \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <expired_token>"

# Test token from different user
curl -X GET https://api.target.com/api/v1/users/123/profile \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <user_456_token>"
```

### Step 4: Test IDOR / Broken Object-Level Authorization

```bash
# Change user ID in request path
curl -X GET https://api.target.com/api/v1/users/123/orders \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <user_456_token>"

# Change object ID in request body
curl -X PUT https://api.target.com/api/v1/orders/789 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <user_456_token>" \
  -d '{"status": "cancelled"}'

# Test horizontal privilege escalation
# Access admin endpoints with regular user token
curl -X GET https://api.target.com/api/v1/admin/users \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <regular_user_token>"
```

### Step 5: Test Session Management

```bash
# Test concurrent sessions
# Login from multiple devices simultaneously - should both remain valid?

# Test session invalidation after logout
TOKEN=$(curl -s -X POST https://api.target.com/api/v1/auth/login \
  -d '{"email":"test@test.com","password":"pass"}' | jq -r '.token')

# Logout
curl -X POST https://api.target.com/api/v1/auth/logout \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN"

# Try using the same token (should fail)
curl -X GET https://api.target.com/api/v1/users/me \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN"

# Test session invalidation after password change
# Token obtained before password change should be invalidated
```

### Step 6: Test OAuth 2.0 / OIDC Mobile Flows

```bash
# Test for authorization code interception
# Check if PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange) is enforced
# Test with missing code_verifier parameter

# Test redirect URI manipulation
# Try custom scheme hijacking: myapp://callback
# Test with modified redirect_uri parameter

# Test scope escalation
# Request higher privileges than granted
```

## Key Concepts

| Term | Definition |
|------|-----------|
| **BOLA/IDOR** | Broken Object Level Authorization - accessing resources by changing identifiers without server-side authorization checks |
| **JWT** | JSON Web Token - self-contained authentication token with header, payload, and signature components |
| **PKCE** | Proof Key for Code Exchange - OAuth 2.0 extension preventing authorization code interception in mobile apps |
| **Token Refresh** | Mechanism for obtaining new access tokens using long-lived refresh tokens without re-authentication |
| **Session Fixation** | Attack where adversary sets a known session ID before victim authenticates, then hijacks the session |

## Tools & Systems

- **Burp Suite**: HTTP proxy for intercepting and modifying authentication requests
- **jwt_tool**: Python tool for testing JWT vulnerabilities (none algorithm, key confusion, claim manipulation)
- **Postman**: API testing client for crafting authentication requests
- **hashcat**: Password/JWT secret cracking tool for testing HMAC signing key strength
- **Autorize**: Burp Suite extension for automated authorization testing

## Common Pitfalls

- **Rate limiting masks issues**: API may rate-limit test requests. Use delays between requests and test from the tester's authorized perspective first.
- **Token in URL**: Some mobile APIs pass tokens in URL query parameters, exposing them in server logs and browser history. Flag as finding even if authorization works correctly.
- **Refresh token rotation**: Some APIs rotate refresh tokens on each use. If your test invalidates the refresh token, you may lock out your test account.
- **Mobile-specific OAuth**: Mobile apps use custom URI schemes for OAuth redirects, which can be intercepted by malicious apps registered for the same scheme.