Mobile Phone Hacking Course

Lesson 1 • Mobile OS Architecture Overview

Covers Android and iOS kernel structures, permission models, and sandbox boundaries. Establishes the technical vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Setting Up a Safe Lab Environment

Guides students through building an isolated test environment using emulators and physical devices. Prevents accidental exposure of live systems during practice.

Lesson 3 • Legal and Ethical Frameworks

Defines authorised testing boundaries, responsible disclosure norms, and professional ethics. Ensures students operate within lawful and ethical constraints.

Lesson 1 • Attack Surface Mapping

Synthesises recon findings into a prioritised attack surface document. Teaches students to rank targets by exploitability and potential impact.

Lesson 2 • Passive Reconnaissance Techniques

Teaches open-source intelligence gathering without touching the target device or server. Feeds directly into attack planning in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • APK and IPA Static Analysis

Extracts and inspects app packages to identify hardcoded secrets, permissions, and code structure. Provides static findings that guide dynamic testing.

Lesson 1 • Reverse Engineering iOS Apps

Applies disassembly and class dumping to analyse compiled iOS binaries. Extends reverse engineering skills to the iOS ecosystem.

Lesson 2 • Reverse Engineering Android Apps

Uses decompilers and disassemblers to reconstruct Android app logic from bytecode. Builds skills applied directly in vulnerability discovery sections.

Lesson 3 • Automated Vulnerability Scanning

Runs automated mobile security scanners to surface common weaknesses quickly. Teaches students to validate and triage scanner output accurately.

Lesson 4 • Insecure Data Storage Vulnerabilities

Locates sensitive data stored insecurely in files, databases, and caches on the device. Directly applies static and dynamic skills to a high-impact vulnerability class.

Lesson 1 • Certificate Pinning Bypass

Defeats certificate pinning implementations using Frida scripts and patched binaries. Unlocks full traffic visibility for apps with pinning enabled.

Lesson 2 • API Security Testing

Tests REST and GraphQL APIs for authentication flaws, broken object authorisation, and injection. Applies OWASP API Top 10 as a structured testing checklist.

Lesson 3 • Intercepting Encrypted Traffic

Configures proxies and installs custom CA certificates to decrypt HTTPS traffic. Prerequisite skill for all subsequent network attack sections.

Lesson 1 • Biometric and PIN Bypass

Circumvents biometric authentication and PIN-based locks using instrumentation and hardware techniques. Demonstrates that biometrics alone are insufficient security controls.

Lesson 2 • OAuth and SSO Exploitation

Attacks OAuth 2.0 flows and single sign-on integrations common in mobile apps. Covers redirect URI hijacking, token leakage, and PKCE bypass.

Lesson 3 • Privilege Escalation on Mobile

Exploits misconfigured permissions and intent vulnerabilities to gain elevated access. Connects authorisation flaws to real-world data breach scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Dynamic Malware Behavioural Analysis

Executes malware in an isolated sandbox to observe file, network, and registry activity. Produces behavioural indicators used in detection rule writing.

Lesson 2 • Static Malware Analysis

Examines malicious APKs and IPAs without execution to extract indicators of compromise. Builds on reverse engineering skills from Chapter 3.

Lesson 3 • Custom Implant Construction

Builds a minimal proof-of-concept implant to understand attacker tradecraft for defensive purposes. Covers payload delivery, persistence, and covert communication channels.

Lesson 1 • Wi-Fi Attack Techniques

Executes rogue access point, deauthentication, and PMKID attacks against mobile Wi-Fi clients. Extends network exploitation skills to the wireless layer.

Lesson 2 • Physical Access Exploitation

Extracts data and bypasses locks when an attacker has brief physical access to a device. Covers forensic acquisition techniques used by both attackers and defenders.

Lesson 3 • NFC and RFID Attack Methods

Clones NFC tags, relays contactless payment signals, and injects malicious NFC payloads. Demonstrates physical proximity as a viable attack vector.

Lesson 4 • Bluetooth and BLE Exploitation

Scans, enumerates, and attacks Bluetooth Classic and BLE devices paired with mobile phones. Covers GATT service abuse and pairing bypass techniques.

Lesson 1 • Engagement Scoping and Planning

Defines test objectives, rules of engagement, and success criteria before testing begins. Ensures all subsequent work aligns with client expectations and legal authorization.

Lesson 2 • Professional Report Writing

Structures executive summaries, technical findings, and remediation guidance into a deliverable report. Covers writing clarity, evidence presentation, and remediation specificity.

Lesson 3 • Vulnerability Scoring and Prioritization

Applies CVSS and business-impact scoring to rank findings by exploitability and consequence. Translates technical severity into business risk language for stakeholders.

Lesson 4 • Remediation Validation and Retesting

Verifies that developer fixes actually resolve identified vulnerabilities through targeted retesting. Closes the engagement loop and builds client trust in the testing process.