Security Checklist for React Native in 2026: From Dependency Audits to Firmware Risks
A pragmatic security checklist tailored to React Native teams: dependency hygiene, storage best practices, and supply-chain risks that affect mobile accessories and peripherals.
Hook — Security is a team sport
In 2026, shipping secure React Native apps means auditing dependencies, hardening bridges, and understanding firmware risks. This checklist gives engineers and leaders a prioritized path to reducing risk across the app lifecycle.
Foundations — apply web security principles
Many web security basics map directly to RN: dependency scanning, CSP-style content filtering, and secure coding standards. The practical checklist for web developers is a great starting point and should be adapted for mobile specifics (Security Basics for Web Developers).
Dependency & supply chain checks
- Lock and pin direct native dependencies; use SBOMs to track transitive libraries.
- Run fuzzing and static analysis on native bindings.
- Be aware of firmware supply-chain risks for peripherals (power accessories, plugs) that interact with your app; recent audits highlight firmware threats and practical mitigations (Firmware Supply-Chain Risks for Power Accessories).
Key storage and attestation
Prefer OS-backed keystores and secure enclaves. Use attestation for critical flows and sign model artifacts or remote modules before distributing them. Consider secure custody solutions where appropriate (Nightfall Vault v3 Review).
Network and content security
- Enforce TLS with pinned public keys for critical endpoints.
- Validate all server inputs at the native boundary.
- Sanitize external content and media before rendering in webviews or composed layers.
Copyright, content, and user-generated media
When handling short clips or user-generated content, ensure legal safeguards are in place and education for teams on fair use and copyright. The legal guide for short clips gives practical counsel for feature teams that expose short-form video (Copyright and Fair Use for Shorts).
Operational readiness
- Emergency revoke paths for keys and models.
- Run incident playbooks that include both app and backend steps.
- Schedule regular dependency refreshes and threat-modeling sessions.
Concluding guidance
Security is continuous. Start small, prioritize high-impact controls, and automate the checks you can. The web security checklist and ecosystem reviews of secure custody products provide pragmatic next steps for RN teams in 2026.
Author: Dana Ortiz — Security Engineer. I help mobile teams implement secure-by-design practices across app lifecycles.