⚔️CMSP
Certified Mobile Security Professional

🧠 1. Certification Name and Issuing Body

  • Full name: Certified Mobile Security Professional (CMSP)

  • Issuing organization: IACRB (Information Assurance Certification Review Board)

  • Reputation and global recognition: While less widely known than OSCP or GXPN, CMSP is recognized in the niche field of mobile app security and often cited by organizations focused on mobile app development, auditing, and pentesting.

📚 2. Curriculum and Skills Covered

  • Covered domains:

    1. Android & iOS architecture

    2. Mobile app threat modeling (OWASP MASVS & MSTG)

    3. Static and dynamic analysis of apps

    4. Reverse engineering and decompiling

    5. Mobile malware and insecure data storage

    6. Exploiting inter-process communication (IPC) vulnerabilities

    7. Runtime manipulation and hooking

    8. Jailbreak/root detection bypass

    9. Secure coding practices and defenses

  • Depth of content: Deep dive into mobile app internals, with strong emphasis on real-world exploitation and defensive bypass techniques

  • Technologies and tools included: Frida, Burp Suite, APKTool, JADX, MobSF, Ghidra, Xcode, Cycript, adb, iOS simulators

  • Relevance in the current job market: High in organizations with mobile applications or fintech products; less relevant in traditional infrastructure roles

  • Mapping to frameworks: OWASP Mobile Top 10, MASVS/MSTG, NIST SP 800-163, MITRE ATT&CK Mobile

🧩 3. Prerequisites and Recommended Level

  • Prior certifications or experience required?: No strict prerequisites, but experience with mobile development, app pentesting, or reverse engineering is highly recommended

  • Expected skill level: Intermediate to advanced

  • Required knowledge: Android/iOS app internals, Linux command-line, Java/Objective-C/Kotlin/Swift basics, mobile app lifecycle, API interaction

💵 4. Cost

  • Total cost: ~$500 USD (exam only); training may cost extra if taken through third-party providers

  • Study materials or lab access included?: No — must be obtained separately via books, GitHub repos, or practical labs

  • Discounts: Occasional discounts via bootcamps or bundled training partners

⏳ 5. Estimated Preparation Time

  • Recommended study hours: 100–150 hours

  • Self-paced or instructor-led: Mostly self-paced; instructor-led available via third parties (e.g., eLearnSecurity, AppSec Labs)

  • Learning modes: Study guides, hands-on labs, GitHub practice apps, mobile CTFs

🎯 6. Target Roles and Career Path

  • Job roles: Mobile App Security Tester, Application Security Engineer, Mobile Malware Analyst, Reverse Engineer, Security Researcher

  • Career goals: Ideal for those specializing in mobile ecosystems and app hardening or pentesting

  • Type: Hands-on, app-centric, with a mix of offensive and reverse engineering focus

🧪 7. Exam Format and Difficulty

  • Is the exam online or in-person?: Online

  • Theoretical, hands-on, or both?: Combination of multiple-choice questions and practical tasks

  • Proctored exam or testing center?: Not live-proctored; monitored by submission

  • Length and number of questions: 2 hours, ~50 multiple-choice questions + optional lab-based challenge (if included in package)

  • Difficulty level or average pass rate: Moderate to high depending on prior mobile experience

📜 8. Validity and Renewal

  • Does it expire?: Yes — valid for 4 years

  • Renewal process: Retake the exam or show proof of equivalent continuing education

🧰 9. Study Resources Available

  • Official documentation: CMSP outline from IACRB; third-party bootcamps often provide practice kits

  • Recommended books:

    • Mobile Application Hacker’s Handbook

    • OWASP Mobile Testing Guide

    • Frida and Mobile Reverse Engineering

  • Online labs or platforms: Mobexler, Damn Vulnerable iOS App (DVIA), Android-InsecureBankv2, TryHackMe mobile rooms

  • YouTube channels, community guides: IppSec, LiveOverflow, AppSec tutorials on Frida and reversing

  • Online communities: r/androiddev, r/netsec, MobileSec Discords, GitHub mobile labs

💼 10. Industry Value and Demand

  • Is it frequently mentioned in job postings?: Occasionally — especially in fintech, app security, and mobile-specific roles

  • Does it boost your profile with recruiters?: Yes — as a niche credential proving mobile expertise

  • Is it recognized by top companies or certain countries?: Recognized in app-focused orgs and startups, but less in traditional IT security

  • What’s the average salary?:

    • Europe: €80,000–100,000/year

    • USA: $115,000–140,000/year

🧭 11. Related Certifications and Progression

  • Is it part of a larger learning path?: No formal path, but fits well into mobile/offensive specialization

  • What can you study after completing it?:

    • OSWE (for code review and logic bugs)

    • GREM (for malware and mobile reversing)

    • Advanced mobile research (Sektor7 Mobile, Mobile Hacking CTFs)

  • How does it compare or complement other certs?:

    • More focused than CEH or OSCP on mobile

    • Complements AppSec roles and pairs well with OSWE or GPXN for hybrid mobile/code exploitation