New tech stacks demand new defenses. Here’s what traditional audits still miss — and what to do about it.
In 2025, most companies believe their web and mobile apps are secure because they’ve been scanned, tested, or launched without issue. But that confidence often hides a dangerous truth: security risks have shifted.
The problem? We’re still defending yesterday’s stack. Meanwhile, attackers are targeting the logic, integrations, and overlooked behaviors that modern systems quietly rely on.
Below are seven security risks that slip past traditional audits and what to do about them.
Mobile SDK Sprawl
Third-party SDKs introduce implicit trust relationships that bypass traditional security reviews
Mobile SDK Sprawl
Third-party SDKs introduce implicit trust relationships that bypass traditional security reviews
Every mobile app today uses third-party SDKs — for analytics, crash reporting, ad delivery, session replay, payment, and more.
The issue? Each SDK adds implicit trust.
- Many SDKs request sensitive permissions like location, camera, or contact access.
- Some send data to third-party servers, often without visibility into how that data is stored or used.
- Vulnerabilities or compromises in those SDKs can expose your app’s users without your code being at fault.
Even worse: SDKs often go unchecked during mobile pen tests because they live in binary form, not source code.
Solution
Conduct a dependency review of every SDK. Check permission scopes, data flows, and update cycles. Re-test apps after any SDK update.
Forgotten APIs
Temporary endpoints and testing routes remain exposed, creating undocumented attack vectors
Forgotten APIs
Temporary endpoints and testing routes remain exposed, creating undocumented attack vectors
Modern apps are API-driven. But with speed comes sloppiness.
It’s common for devs to open new endpoints for testing, feature trials, or temporary integrations—and then forget to lock them down or deprecate them.
The result: exposed APIs that aren’t documented, monitored, or access-controlled.
Examples include:
- Admin routes left in staging environments
- Unauthenticated endpoints used by deprecated mobile builds
- Features enabled via flags but still callable via API
Solution
Implement API inventory tracking and lifecycle policies. Use active scanning to detect open endpoints and monitor API traffic continuously.
Token Misuse Across Devices
Session tokens designed for web apps create security gaps when used across mobile platforms
Token Misuse Across Devices
Session tokens designed for web apps create security gaps when used across mobile platforms
Tokens are the backbone of session management. But what works on web doesn’t always work on mobile.
Too often, tokens:
- Are shared between devices with no scoping
- Never expire or don’t rotate properly
- Are stored insecurely in mobile apps
This creates openings for token reuse, session hijacking, and long-lived unauthorized access, especially if tokens leak through logs, screenshots, or crash reports.
Solution
Scope tokens to device type. Use short-lived tokens with refresh logic. Store securely using encrypted keychains, not local storage.
AI Agents With No Guardrails
Custom AI agents with tool access operate without proper security controls or validation
AI Agents With No Guardrails
Custom AI agents with tool access operate without proper security controls or validation
Custom AI agents are rising fast—especially those with access to tools, memory, and API actions.
The problem? These agents often operate without proper safeguards.
Scenarios to watch:
- Agents executing commands based on unverified prompts
- Agents retrieving or writing data without logging or validation
- Prompt injection or chaining leading to unintended tool use
An agent that books an appointment is harmless. An agent that triggers a refund or account change? That’s a different risk profile.
Solution
Apply principle of least privilege to agents. Log every action. Validate external input before passing to LLMs. Think like an attacker: what can your agent do if misled?
Client-Side Logic Creep
Business logic moved to frontend for UX gains introduces new manipulation attack vectors
Client-Side Logic Creep
Business logic moved to frontend for UX gains introduces new manipulation attack vectors
To improve responsiveness, many devs push more business logic into the frontend—in mobile apps or JavaScript.
It works well for UX. But it’s a security tradeoff.
When logic runs on the client:
- It can be manipulated or bypassed
- Attackers can replay requests with modified parameters
- Assumptions about state or access level can be broken
This leads to vulnerabilities like:
- Forced browsing
- Price manipulation
- Privilege escalation through crafted inputs
Solution
Always validate logic server-side. Never trust the client to enforce rules. Use integrity checks for mobile binaries and session tokens.
Auth Fatigue and Lazy UX
Convenience-focused authentication flows sacrifice security coverage for user experience
Auth Fatigue and Lazy UX
Convenience-focused authentication flows sacrifice security coverage for user experience
Everyone wants smooth login flows. But convenience often kills coverage.
We’ve seen:
- Apps skipping 2FA after initial login
- Session persistence that lasts months
- Email-based logins without brute force rate limits
Meanwhile, attackers script login attempts across devices and endpoints, hunting for soft targets.
Solution
Rethink authentication UX. Make secure defaults feel seamless (e.g., biometric reauth, device binding, session expiry on context change).
Shadow Environments
Development and staging environments remain online with relaxed security controls
Shadow Environments
Development and staging environments remain online with relaxed security controls
What happens after launch? Dev, test, and staging environments often remain online — sometimes with relaxed controls.
Risks:
- Old credentials still work
- Debug headers or verbose errors reveal app internals
- CORS misconfigs or open origins leak data cross-domain
Attackers look for these soft underbellies — especially when production is tight.
Solution
Treat non-prod like prod. Isolate test data, rotate credentials, and scan for forgotten subdomains or environments.
How AI Changes the Attack Surface
AI isn’t just a tool. It’s a new trust layer.
Web and mobile apps are increasingly wired into agents, models, and toolchains. That adds:
- Prompt injection as an attack vector
- Autonomous logic paths that skip human review
- New dependencies with unclear fail states
In other words: your app might be secure, but the agent layered on top might not be.
Tip: If your agent can act, it needs security review like any other privileged system.
Why Standard Audits Miss This
Traditional security assessments look for known vulnerabilities.
But today’s risks hide in logic, behavior, and misalignment between systems.
If your audit didn’t:
- Test real device behavior
- Explore mobile-web crossover issues
- Simulate token misuse or agent attacks
…you’re flying blind.
Ask your audit provider what they test. And what they don’t.
FAQs: Web and Mobile Security in 2025
If our mobile app uses the same backend as web, do we need separate testing?
Yes. Mobile clients behave differently, use different storage, and expose unique attack vectors.
Are AI agents a real attack vector?
Yes, if they can act or access sensitive tools. Prompt injection and chaining are real.
How do I know if my app has client-side logic issues?
Check if business logic is enforced on the frontend. If rules can be bypassed by manipulating requests, you have a problem.
What’s the biggest blind spot?
Forgotten APIs and unscoped tokens. Both are silent, scalable risks.
How often should we test?
Quarterly, or any time you ship a new agent, major feature, or integration.
Defend What You Actually Built
“The biggest security risk in 2025? Assuming you’re already covered.”
Apps today are more integrated, autonomous, and distributed than ever before. That means you need security strategies that reflect what you’ve actually deployed — not just what you diagrammed on a whiteboard last year.
Security isn’t static. It’s behavioral. It’s architectural. And it’s absolutely worth revisiting before someone else does it for you.
