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Cian G

Mobile App Security Specialist | iOS & Android Manual Pentester
United Kingdom
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Freelancer Information

Reverse engineer. Runtime debugger. Mobile security obsessive.

I’m Cian Gallagher - a mobile application security specialist based in Dublin, Ireland. With over six years of hands-on offensive security experience, I focus exclusively on dissecting and securing mobile applications for iOS and Android platforms. My work goes far beyond surface-level scans or basic pen testing.

Where others rely on automated tools, I dive deep into the mobile app’s internals: decompiling APKs, examining Swift and Objective-C binaries, and testing runtime behavior with advanced tooling. From Frida and Objection to Burp Suite Mobile Assistant and custom scripts, I leverage a full toolkit to mimic real-world attacker tactics; exposing flaws others often miss.

Whether you're a scaling startup about to raise funding or a regulated fintech preparing for audit, I provide testing that’s:

  • Manual-first and logic-aware: I identify insecure storage, broken authentication, exposed endpoints, and business logic flaws specific to your app’s flow — not just generic OWASP checks.
  • End-to-end: I test your mobile client, backend API, authentication flows, and third-party dependencies to uncover chained vulnerabilities and edge-case issues.
  • Compliance-aligned: Reports mapped to MASVS, OWASP Mobile Top 10, and tailored to meet ISO 27001, SOC 2, or investor diligence requirements.

Deliverables include:

  • A clear, developer-readable PDF report with annotated findings, PoCs, and screenshots
  • Executive summary for stakeholders (plain English, no jargon)
  • Optional: live walkthrough call with your dev team
  • Optional: post-remediation retest with updated report and validation

Past clients include digital banking platforms, health-tech apps with sensitive patient data, and SaaS products needing high-assurance security before launch. My goal is always the same: to help you find serious vulnerabilities before attackers or auditors do — and guide your team in fixing them fast.

If you’re serious about mobile security and want results that go beyond the obvious, let’s work together.

Note: I never take shortcuts. All work is performed with full confidentiality, ethical rigor, and clear communication. References available on request.


Freelancer Education

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2014 – 2018 BSc (Hons) in Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics
Technological University Dublin

Graduated with First Class Honours • Focused thesis: “Reverse Engineering Android Applications for Vulnerability Discovery” • Specialized in mobile platform security, malware analysis, and application hardening techniques • Completed advanced modules in: • Mobile Application Security • Network Penetration Testing • Operating Systems Internals • Secure Software Development

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2019 – 2021 (Part-Time, Remote with On-Campus Blocks) MSc in Advanced Cybersecurity and Threat Intelligence
Queen’s University Belfast

Dissertation: “Bypassing Runtime Protections in iOS Applications: A Dynamic Analysis Approach” • Focus areas: • Advanced malware reverse engineering • iOS and Android kernel security • Threat hunting in mobile ecosystems • Secure DevOps and CI/CD pipeline hardening • Conducted research into zero-day detection techniques using Frida and LLDB • Collaborated with industry partners on real-world case studies (including bug bounty remediation strategies)


Work & Experience

🛰
2021 - 2025 🛰️ Offensive Security Consultant
Confidential Tech Client (NDA-bound engagement)

• Conducted targeted application and infrastructure penetration tests for a global logistics platform migrating to multi-region AWS • Discovered critical flaws in: • Lambda function privilege boundaries and improper IAM trust relationships • Route53 takeover scenarios due to stale DNS records and orphaned subdomains • S3 CORS misconfigurations that enabled cross-origin credential exfiltration • Built a custom enumeration toolkit to support rapid recon in segmented environments using Go and Python • Provided executive briefings and threat modelling workshops post-engagement to embed security mindset within dev and ops teams • Received internal recognition for resolving an incident response simulation within 3 hours, mimicking ransomware propagation via lateral movement


Awards

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2020 OSCP – Offensive Security Certified Professional
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2021 Mobile App Security Testing with Frida & Objection (Practical workshop by NowSecure)