React Native security:
top risks & best practices

React Native apps rely heavily on third-party libraries and packages that developers use to extend the applications’ functionality and speed up development. However, these external packages can contain known vulnerabilities or be targeted by malicious actors, which compromises the security of all applications using such libraries.

Reverse engineering involves decompiling and analyzing a React Native app’s code to reveal its business logic, API keys, and security mechanisms, which attackers can exploit to find vulnerabilities and modify the app through code tampering. Since React Native uses JavaScript, the code of an app written in it can be relatively easily extracted and inspected, making React Native apps more susceptible to reverse engineering than fully native applications unless developers apply proper protection mechanisms.

In MITM attacks, a malicious actor intercepts the communication between a React Native app and its backend servers or external services to steal data transmitted over the network or manipulate app functions. This can happen because of the use of unencrypted communication protocols and improper validation of server certificates, allowing attackers to impersonate trusted servers to inject malicious responses, redirect users to fraudulent services, or disrupt the React Native app’s normal operation.

React Native apps that store sensitive user information like passwords, tokens, or personal data in plain text in the mobile device’s local storage without proper protection mechanisms or that use insecure React Native storage solutions like AsyncStorage can leave data vulnerable to unauthorized access and theft. Attackers can easily retrieve the data either remotely using malware or through jailbreaking or device rooting when they have physical control of the device.

In React Native mobile applications, developers can use special direct links that allow users to open specific screens or content inside the app, making app navigation and user experience smooth and convenient. However, this technique is not inherently secure as deep links can be intercepted by malicious apps that handle the same kind of link on the mobile device. As a result, attackers can access and misuse sensitive parts of the app, like user authentication tokens and permissions settings, or steal data.

Insufficient session management practices and mechanisms in React Native apps can enable attackers to seize control of an active session of a legitimate user by stealing or predicting the session token. Once the session has been hijacked, attackers can exploit the user account for malicious purposes.

Since React Native allows for creating a single codebase both for Android and iOS platforms, developers should take into account the specific security challenges of each operating system.

• iOS uses a strict sandboxed storage model, isolating app data and making unauthorized app access difficult without bypassing multiple security layers. However, Apple’s devices can be vulnerable to jailbreaking that allows attackers to disable built-in security mechanisms and tamper with the React Native app’s operation.
• Android imposes fewer restrictions on file storage and access, which can expose app data to unauthorized access if the React Native app doesn’t have proper data protection. Due to this more permissive file system access, Android apps are more susceptible to dynamic instrumentation attacks, where attackers use special tools to monitor the app while it's running, intercept data, and alter the app’s behavior.