| name | ios-sec |
| description | Security policy for iOS apps. Enforces OWASP Top 10, Mobile Top 10, and CWE Top 25 mitigations. |
Purpose
Ensure iOS code is secure by default. For security output format and core refusal policy, see /shared-sec-baseline.
iOS-specific security concerns (always check)
- Keychain for secrets — never UserDefaults for tokens, passwords, or API keys
- ATS enforcement — no exceptions without justification; never disable TLS validation
- Deep link validation — validate scheme, host, and parameters before acting on universal/custom links
- Notification payloads — treat as untrusted input; validate before navigation or data use
- Biometric auth — use LocalAuthentication with fallback policy; don't rely solely on device passcode
- Privacy manifest — declare data collection accurately; required APIs need justification
Standard security (brief check)
- Input validation: sanitize all external input (network, clipboard, deep links)
- Error handling: no internal details surfaced to UI or logs
- Logging: no PII, tokens, or credentials; use OSLog with appropriate privacy levels
- Network: certificate pinning for sensitive endpoints; handle certificate failures safely
Additional refusals (iOS-specific)
Also refuse requests that: disable ATS, or store secrets in UserDefaults. Explain why and propose secure alternative.
Reference
For detailed OWASP/Mobile Top 10/CWE mitigation patterns, see reference/ios-sec-reference.md
