MASVS-NETWORK: Network Communication

Secure networking is a critical aspect of mobile app security, particularly for apps that communicate over the network. In order to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of data in transit, developers typically rely on encryption and authentication of the remote endpoint, such as through the use of TLS. However, there are numerous ways in which a developer may accidentally disable the platform secure defaults or bypass them entirely by utilizing low-level APIs or third-party libraries.

This category is designed to ensure that the mobile app sets up secure connections under any circumstances. Specifically, it focuses on verifying that the app establishes a secure, encrypted channel for network communication. Additionally, this category covers situations where a developer may choose to trust only specific Certificate Authorities (CAs), which is commonly referred to as certificate pinning or public key pinning.