How to Implement Failsafe Enforcement with In-App Detection

What is Failsafe Enforcement?

Failsafe Enforcement allows mobile apps to handle detected threats with precision and flexibility. When you enable this feature, it enhances the selected In-App Detection Threat Event by delaying the enforcement action, giving your app control over how and when the user is notified. This approach ensures that the app can provide a smooth user experience while still addressing security threats effectively.

By leveraging the Failsafe Enforcement functionality, mobile app developers unlock enhanced user experience options, offering added layers of notification sophistication through features such as the App Compromise Notification and versatile Short Message Options.

Note: The Short Message Options are available for Android apps only.

How Does In-App Detection with Failsafe Protect Mobile Apps

Failsafe Enforcement consists of three components:

A Failsafe Window: The failsafe window countdown starts the moment the threat event is sent from Appdome to the protected app. The failsafe enforcement window can be set between 1 and 60 seconds.
The enforcement action will occur at the earliest of two scenarios: (1) the protected app has sent the “EnforceThreatEvent” to Appdome, or (2) Appdome did not receive a response from the protected app within the Fail-Safe window.

Notify on Failsafe Enforcement: If Appdome does not receive a response within the failsafe window, the app closes when the window expires.

Notify on App Triggered Enforcement: Your app controls the timing of the enforcement by sending the “EnforceThreatEvent” command to Appdome within the defined window. Once Appdome receives the command, it promptly exits the app. However, if Appdome doesn’t receive the command, the app will close when the failsafe window expires.

Using Threat Events with Failsafe Enforcement

Failsafe Enforcement provides app developers with the ability to control when Appdome enforces a detected threat, allowing the app to perform custom logic before enforcement is triggered.

To utilize this feature:

• Set the Threat Event of the selected feature to In-App Detection w/FailSafe

• Enable the Threat-Event Failsafe Enforcement option

• Handle the Threat Event within your app logic

• Notify Appdome to enforce the event by sending an EnforceThreatEvent with the original event data

If the app does not send the enforcement signal within the configured failsafe window, Appdome will automatically enforce the action.

Android Example (Broadcast API)

On Android, use a Broadcast to receive the Threat Event, handle it, and then send the enforcement signal:

import android.content.BroadcastReceiver
import android.content.Context
import android.content.Intent
import android.os.Bundle
import android.util.Log
import com.example.threateventlogger.MainActivity.Companion.DEV_EVENTS_PERMISSION
import kotlin.random.Random

class ThreatEventReceiver(): BroadcastReceiver() {

    companion object {
        const val FAIL_SAFE_CALLBACK = "EnforceThreatEvent"
        const val FAIL_SAFE_TRIGGER =
            "ActiveVpnDetected" // Change to use the detection you are interested with
    }

    override fun onReceive(context: Context?, intent: Intent?) {
        if (intent == null) {
            return
        }
        val eventId = intent.action ?: return
        val bundle = intent.extras

        Log.e("TAG", "ThreatEventReceiver: received intent for eventId: $eventId")

        /**
         * Add your own logic here :)
         */

        if (eventId == FAIL_SAFE_TRIGGER && context != null) {
            val outIntent = Intent(FAIL_SAFE_CALLBACK).apply {
                setPackage(context.packageName)
                if (bundle != null) putExtras(bundle)
            }
            context.sendBroadcast(outIntent, DEV_EVENTS_PERMISSION)
        }
    }
}

iOS Example (NSNotificationCenter)

On iOS, use NSNotificationCenter to listen for Threat Events, perform your internal logic, and then trigger enforcement:

// Call startListening() 

import Foundation

extension Notification.Name {
    static let FailSafeEnforcementEvent = Notification.Name("EnforceThreatEvent")
    static let AntiVPNDetected = Notification.Name("ActiveVpnDetected") 
}

//call startListening() from AppDelegate.swift
func startListening(){
  let mappings: [(Notification.Name, String)] = [
   (.AntiVPNDetected, "ActiveVpnDetected"),
  ]

  // Listen on MAIN to keep UI updates simple
  tokens = mappings.map { (name, friendlyName) in
     NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(
      forName: name,
      object: nil,
      queue: .main
     ) { [weak self] note in
      self?.handle(note, friendlyName: friendlyName)
     }
    }
 }

 private func handle(_ note: Notification, friendlyName: String) {
  let info = (note.userInfo as? [String: Any]) ?? [:]
  
  // Add your own logic
  // Example: eventId for failsafe = "AntiVPNDetected".

  if note.name == .AntiVPNDetected, let userInfo = note.userInfo {
     NotificationCenter.default.post(name: .FailSafeEnforcementEvent, object: nil, userInfo: userInfo)
  }
 }

Note: Register the observer once (for example, during app initialization) to avoid duplicate handlers.

Prerequisites for using Appdome Failsafe Enforcement

To use Failsafe Enforcement, you need:

• An Appdome account – Appdome DEV or Higher.
• A Threat-Events license
• A license for In-App Detection with Failsafe
• Mobile App (.ipa for iOS, or .apk or .aab for Android)

Step-by-Step Guide to Implement Failsafe Enforcement

Follow these steps to implement Failsafe Enforcement in your iOS or Android app.

Note: While this guide uses Root Detection as an example, you can enable Failsafe Enforcement for any feature that includes Threat Events.

• Threat-Events in Android & iOS Apps Explained
• Threat-Events™, In-App Threat Intelligence in Native iOS Apps
• Threat-Events™, In-App Threat Intelligence in Kotlin Apps
• Threat-Events™, In-App Threat Intelligence in React Native Apps
• Threat-Events™, In-App Threat Intelligence in Swift Apps
• Threat-Events™, In-App Threat Intelligence in Native Android Apps

How to Learn More?

If you have any questions, please send them our way at support.appdome.com or via the chat window on the Appdome platform.

Thank you!

Thanks for visiting Appdome! Our mission is to secure every app on the planet by making mobile app security easy. We hope we’re living up to the mission with your project.