HARBOR DESK / 05 / PRACTICE GUIDE

iOS security review

Review Keychain, Universal Links and release entitlements against business needs. Do not base token storage decisions on sandbox assumptions alone.

Download guide and workpapers

Original AI-assisted SecNet educational content; examples are fictional. Not a source organization publication or endorsement. Sources checked: 2026-10-21.

CODE REVIEW DESK

See the decision through the test.

Code here is a local policy model with no target connection. Passing model cases are not security approval or device tests.

A token inside the sandbox / Weak code

Inspect an incomplete decision based on record existence or another positive signal. Consider denial cases alongside permitted use.

s=>s.sandboxed

Sandboxed=true does not prove secret protection. The model requires this example’s Keychain/device-only policy and absence of log copies. Different business needs require a fresh accessibility decision.

Choices and outputs last only on this open page; they do not update account progress, career status, points or certificates.

01 / EXPLANATION

Choose Keychain accessibility

UserDefaults is not a secret store. Select Keychain accessibility against lock state, background work and device migration needs. The example uses WhenUnlockedThisDeviceOnly; this is not universal and may restrict background access. Check result codes and design deletion alongside server token revocation. No storage API makes logging plaintext tokens safe.

02 / EXPLANATION

Universal Links are not authority

Domain-app association uses associated domains and apple-app-site-association. The app must also validate scheme, exact host, path and unexpected parameters. Opening a link in the app does not authorize access to another customer’s record. The downloadable pure Swift URL test checks parsing policy only, not OS association or device behavior.

03 / EXPLANATION

Release evidence and privacy

A successful archive is not evidence of a secure release. Review ATS exceptions, entitlement scope, signing profiles, data collection declarations and SDKs. Test stored-data lifecycle across lock, reinstall and account changes. Compare privacy declarations with actual network behavior; network testing must not lead to disabling production TLS controls.

04 / EXPLANATION

Device workpaper: access and transitions

Store a synthetic token using the selected Keychain accessibility class and compare locked/unlocked behavior against requirements. Account switching must not expose the previous account’s data, and a locally retained token must not bypass server revocation. Separately test the correct Universal Link, a lookalike host and an unauthorized ticket. Opening from Safari and handing off to the app are platform integration tests; seven pure URL assertions do not replace them. Capture iOS version, app archive, associated-domain scope and observed outcomes. Running the Keychain component on a developer computer with a real account token is not part of this workshop.

Build the evidence yourself.

Blank workpapers are not completed tests. Fill them in your authorized environment without secrets or real personal data.

Scope and trust boundariesMarkdown · EN Test plan and expected resultsMarkdown · EN Finding and retest recordMarkdown · EN Release decision and evidence traceMarkdown · EN

Full guide with code, outputs and reasoning ↓

Primary references

Explanations are authored by SecNet. References support method and platform context; verify current editions and organizational policy for real use.