React Native Security

---
name: react-native-security-73a51a43fa42
description: Secure storage, network traffic, and deep links in React Native mobile apps. Use when implementing secure storage, certificate pinning, or deep link validation in React Native.
metadata:
  triggers:
    files:
    - '**/*.tsx'
    - '**/*.ts'
    keywords:
    - security
    - secure-storage
    - deep-link
    - certificate-pinning
---
# React Native Security

## **Priority: P0 (CRITICAL)**

## Store Credentials Securely

- **Secure Storage**: Use `react-native-key-chain` for tokens, passwords.
- **Never AsyncStorage**: Not encrypted. Only for non-sensitive data.
- **Biometric Auth**: Use `react-native-biometrics` for Face ID/Touch ID.

See [secure storage reference](references/secure-storage.md) for secure storage with biometric access control.

## Validate Deep Links

- **Validate URLs**: Check scheme and host before navigation.
- **Sanitize Params**: Never trust URL params. Validate and sanitize.
- **Token Extraction**: Avoid passing tokens in deep link URLs. Use secure code exchange.

See [secure storage reference](references/secure-storage.md) for deep link URL validation with scheme and host whitelisting.

## Enforce Network Security

- **HTTPS Only**: Enforce via `NSAppTransportSecurity` (iOS) and `network_security_config.xml` (Android).
- **Certificate Pinning**: Use `react-native-ssl-pinning` for high-security apps (banking, healthcare). **Warning**: Requires app update when certificates rotate.
- **No Secrets in Code**: Use `.env` files with `react-native-config`. Add to `.gitignore`.
- **Verify**: Test by attempting plain HTTP requests in dev; confirm they rejected.

## Protect Sensitive Data

- **PII Masking**: Mask email/phone in logs and analytics.
- **Clipboard**: Clear sensitive data after paste.
- **Screenshots**: Block on sensitive screens with `react-native-screen-guard`.
- **Hermes**: Bytecode harder to reverse-engineer. **ProGuard/R8**: Enable on Android.

## Anti-Patterns

- **No Hardcoded Secrets**: Use environment variables.
- **No Sensitive Logs**: Strip `console.log` in production.
- **No Plain HTTP**: Always use HTTPS.
- **No Client-Side Auth**: Validate on backend.

## References

See [references/secure-storage.md](references/secure-storage.md) for secure storage, Biometrics, SSL Pinning, and PII Masking.

## Pinning verification checklist

- Test that a request fails with an untrusted or changed certificate, and document rotation and recovery before shipping certificate pins.