iOS app security assessment
from any IPA file.
Strata performs static analysis on iOS IPA files — parsing Info.plist, entitlements, the provisioning profile, and the main binary to surface real security issues with OWASP mapping, severity scoring, and remediation guidance. No Xcode project, no source code, no device required.
What is IPA security scanning?
Static analysis of iOS app archives
An IPA (iOS App Archive) is a ZIP file containing a Payload/*.app bundle — the Info.plist manifest, a compiled Mach-O binary, an embedded provisioning profile, entitlements, frameworks, and resources. IPA security scanning examines those files without running the app.
Static analysis works directly from the compiled archive: no device, no Xcode, no source code. This makes it practical for third-party assessments, pre-release security reviews, and supply chain analysis of apps you didn't build.
Static analysis has well-defined limits: it cannot observe runtime behavior, intercept live network traffic, or test server-side logic. Strata focuses on what static analysis of IPA files does reliably — manifest configuration, binary string scanning, entitlement analysis, and provisioning profile inspection.
iOS security issues Strata detects
These are the most common security problems found in iOS apps — each one detectable through static analysis of the compiled IPA.
App Transport Security disabled
NSAllowsArbitraryLoads=true in Info.plist disables ATS globally, allowing the app to make plaintext HTTP connections to any server. This is one of the most frequently flagged issues in iOS security assessments, and is detectable directly from the Info.plist in the IPA.
Debug entitlement in distribution build
The get-task-allow entitlement allows debugger attachment. Xcode adds it automatically to debug builds; it must be absent in any distribution build. When found in an enterprise or App Store IPA, it means any process with sufficient privileges can attach, inspect memory, and extract runtime secrets.
Hardcoded credentials in the binary
API keys, tokens, and secrets compiled into the binary are extractable by anyone who unpacks the IPA. Strata scans the main Mach-O binary for AWS credentials, Firebase keys, Stripe keys, GitHub tokens, JWT strings, and over a dozen other credential patterns.
Always-on location with background mode
An app declaring NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription while also enabling the location background mode can track the user's physical location continuously without any visible UI indicator. Strata flags this combination as a high-risk privacy exposure.
Enterprise provisioning profile
An IPA signed with an enterprise profile (ProvisionsAllDevices=true) can be installed on any device without App Store review. This is a common distribution mechanism for internal tools — and for malware. Enterprise-signed IPAs bypass the App Store's security review entirely.
Jailbreak and instrumentation tool strings
Strings matching Cydia, unc0ver, checkra1n, palera1n, Frida, and similar tools found in the binary indicate the app may interact with jailbreak infrastructure, include exploit tooling, or bundle a Frida gadget for runtime instrumentation.
What Strata checks
Every check listed below is performed automatically on every IPA scan. All analysis is static — no emulator, no device, no source code.
Info.plist & permissions
App Transport Security
Hardcoded secrets
Entitlements
Provisioning profile
Binary & behavioral indicators
From upload to remediation
IPA security scanning is the first step. Strata gives you the workflow to act on what you find.
Upload the IPA
Upload the IPA file directly — no Xcode project, no source code, no device needed. An IPA is a standard ZIP archive; Strata reads the Payload/*.app bundle inside it.
Static analysis runs
Strata parses Info.plist, the provisioning profile, entitlements, and the main Mach-O binary. Permission and ATS checks, secret scanning, jailbreak indicator detection, and heuristic scoring all run in parallel. Results are typically ready in under 30 seconds.
Review severity-ranked findings
Findings are ranked by severity with plain-English explanation, OWASP Mobile category, concrete impact statement, and remediation guidance for each.
Triage and track
Move findings through a lifecycle — Open → In Progress → Fixed or Accepted Risk. Add notes, mark false positives, and maintain a clear record of what still needs action.
Export a client-ready report
Generate a PDF with executive summary, severity breakdown, OWASP coverage, and per-finding evidence — suitable for developer handoff, App Store compliance review, or client delivery.
What makes iOS security analysis different
The iOS security model is entitlement-driven
Unlike Android's manifest-declared permission model, iOS security is largely governed by entitlements — capabilities cryptographically granted to the app by Apple and embedded in the provisioning profile. This means an IPA's security posture is partly determined by what Apple has authorized it to do, not just what the developer declared.
Strata reads the embedded provisioning profile directly from the IPA, extracts entitlements, and flags high-risk ones: the debugger-attachment entitlement (get-task-allow), network traffic interception (Network Extension), and cross-app keychain sharing. It also identifies whether the profile is an App Store, enterprise, or development build — each carrying different risk implications.
App Transport Security (ATS) is iOS's equivalent of Android's usesCleartextTraffic flag — but with more granularity. Strata checks both the global allowance and per-domain exceptions in Info.plist, giving you a precise picture of where cleartext HTTP is and is not permitted.
Common Questions
See Strata in action
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