How to Securely Retrieve and Use iOS Vendor ID (IDFV) Using AI

Last updated July 31, 2025 by Appdome

This Knowledge Base article describes how to use Appdome’s AI in your CI/CD pipeline to continuously deliver plugins that Use Apple Vendor ID in iOS apps.

What is Apple Vendor ID?

Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) is a unique identifier assigned to all apps created by the same vendor and installed on a specific iOS device. The identifier remains the same across those apps as long as at least one of the vendorâ€™s apps stays installed on the device. Unlike IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers), which is used for advertising and can be reset or disabled by the user, IDFV is not user-resettable and is typically used for internal tracking, app analytics, and fraud detection within an app suite.

Because IDFV is both stable and vendor-specific, it helps detect multi-app abuse, track sessions across related apps, and improve defenses in fraud-prone environments. This identifier is especially useful in app portfoliosâ€” such as banking, shopping, or travel apps from the same vendorâ€” where coordinated identity tracking across multiple apps is needed.

How Appdome Secures iOS Apps by Collecting the Apple Vendor ID (IDFV)

Appdome’s dynamic Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) plugin enables developers to leverage a persistent, non-resettable identifier, the IDFV, across all apps from the same vendor on a single device, improving identity correlation and strengthening fraud prevention.

Prerequisites for Using Appdome's Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) Plugins:

To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Use Apple Vendor ID , you’ll need:

Appdome account (create a free Appdome account here)
A license for Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV)
Mobile App (.ipa for iOS)
Signing Credentials (see Signing Secure Android apps and Signing Secure iOS apps)

How to Implement Use Apple Vendor ID in iOS Apps Using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these simple steps to create self-defending iOS Apps that Use Apple Vendor ID without an SDK or gateway:

Designate the Mobile App to be protected.
1. Upload an app via the Appdome Mobile Defense platform GUI or via Appdome’s DEV-API or CI/CD Plugins.
2. iOS Formats: .ipa
3. Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) is compatible with: Obj-C, Java, Swift, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, Cordova and other iOS apps.
Select the defense: Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV).

Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) feature as shown below:

Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) feature

Follow the steps in Sections 2.2-2.2.2 of this article to add the Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) feature to your Fusion Set via the Appdome Console.

When you enable Protect Advertising IDs you'll notice that the Fusion Set you created in step 2.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV).

Figure 2: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) protection
Note: Annotating the Fusion Set to identify the protection(s) selected is optional only (not mandatory).

Open the Fusion Set Detail Summary by clicking the “...” symbol on the far-right corner of the Fusion Set. Copy the Fusion Set ID from the Fusion Set Detail Summary (as shown below):

Figure 3: Fusion Set Detail Summary

Follow the instructions below to use the Fusion Set ID inside any standard mobile DevOps or CI/CD toolkit like Bitrise, Jenkins, Travis, Team City, Circle CI or other system:

Refer to the Appdome API Reference Guide for API building instructions.

Look for sample APIs in Appdome’s GitHub Repository.

Add the Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) feature to your security template.

Navigate to Build > IDAnchor tab > iOS IDAnchor section in the Appdome Console.
Like all other options in ONEShield™, Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) is turned on by default, as shown below:
Figure 4: Selecting Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV)
Note: The App Compromise Notification contains an easy to follow default remediation path for the mobile app end user. You can customize this message as required to achieve brand specific support, workflow or other messaging.

Toggle On Protect Advertising IDs > Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV).
Note: The checkmark feature Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) is enabled by default, as shown below.

Figure 4: Selecting Use Apple Vendor ID

Initiate the build command either by clicking Build My App at the bottom of the Build Workflow (shown in Figure 4) or via your CI/CD as described in Section 2.1.4.

Congratulations! The Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) protection is now added to the mobile app

Certify the Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) feature in iOS Apps

After building Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV), Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) protection has been added to the mobile app, locate the protection in the Certified Secure™ certificate as shown below:

Figure 5: Certified Secure™ certificate

Each Certified Secure™ certificate provides DevOps and DevSecOps organizations the entire workflow summary, audit trail of each build, and proof of protection that Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) has been added to each iOS app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app.

Using Threat-Events™ for Apple Vendor ID Intelligence and Control in iOS Apps

Appdome Threat-Events™ provides consumable in-app mobile app attack intelligence and defense control when Apple Vendor ID is detected. To consume and use Threat-Events™ for Apple Vendor ID in iOS Apps, use AddObserverForName in Notification Center, and the code samples for Threat-Events™ for Apple Vendor ID shown below.

The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for Apple Vendor ID are:

Threat-Event™ Elements Use Apple Vendor ID Method Detail

Appdome Feature Name Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV)

Threat-Event Mode

OFF, IN-APP DEFENSE Appdome detects, defends and notifies user (standard OS dialog) using customizable messaging.

ON, IN-APP DETECTION Appdome detects the attack or threat and passes the event in a standard format to the app for processing (app chooses how and when to enforce).

ON, IN-APP DEFENSE Uses Appdome Enforce mode for any attack or threat and passes the event in a standard format to the app for processing (gather intel on attacks and threats without losing any protection).

Certified Secure™ Threat Event Check x

Visible in ThreatScope™ x

Developer Parameters for Using Apple Vendor ID Threat-Event™

Threat-Event NAME

Threat-Event DATA reasonData

Threat-Event CODE reasonCode

Threat-Event SCORE
currentThreatEventScore Current Threat-Event score

threatEventsScore Total Threat-events score

Threat-Event Context Keys

Timestamp The exact time the threat event was triggered, recorded in milliseconds since epoch

message Message displayed for the user on event

externalID The external ID of the event which can be listened via Threat Events

osVersion OS version of the current device

deviceModel Current device model

deviceManufacturer The manufacturer of the current device

fusedAppToken The task ID of the Appdome fusion of the currently running app

kernelInfo Info about the kernel: system name, node name, release, version and machine.

deviceID Current device ID

reasonCode Reason code of the occurred event

threatCode The last six characters of the threat code specify the OS, allowing the Threat Resolution Center to address the attack on the affected device.

With Threat-Events™ enabled (turned ON), iOS developers can get detailed attack intelligence and granular defense control in iOS applications and create amazing user experiences for all mobile end users when Apple Vendor ID is detected.

The following is a code sample for native iOS apps, which uses all values in the specification above for Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV):

Important! Replace all placeholder instances of <Context Key> with the specific name of your threat event context key across all language examples. This is crucial to ensure your code functions correctly with the intended event data. For example, The <Context Key> could be the message, externalID, OS Version, reason code, etc.

let center = NotificationCenter.default center.addObserver(forName: Notification.Name(""), object: nil, queue: nil) { (note) in guard let usrInf = note.userInfo else { return } let message = usrInf["message"]; // Message shown to the user let reasonData = usrInf["reasonData"]; // Threat detection cause let reasonCode = usrInf["reasonCode"]; // Event reason code // Current threat event score let currentThreatEventScore = usrInf["currentThreatEventScore"]; // Total threat events score let threatEventsScore = usrInf["threatEventsScore"]; // Replace '' with your specific event context key // let variable = usrInf[""]; // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }

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let center = NotificationCenter.default
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center.addObserver(forName: Notification.Name(""), object: nil, queue: nil) { (note) in
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guard let usrInf = note.userInfo else {
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return
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}
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let message = usrInf["message"]; // Message shown to the user
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let reasonData = usrInf["reasonData"]; // Threat detection cause
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let reasonCode = usrInf["reasonCode"]; // Event reason code
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// Current threat event score
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let currentThreatEventScore = usrInf["currentThreatEventScore"];
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// Total threat events score
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let threatEventsScore = usrInf["threatEventsScore"];
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// let variable = usrInf["<Context Key>"];
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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}

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserverForName: @"" object:nil queue:nil usingBlock:^(NSNotification *org_note) { __block NSNotification *note = org_note; dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^(void) { // Message shown to the user NSString *message = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"message"]; // Threat detection cause NSString *reasonData = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"reasonData"]; // Event reason code NSString *reasonCode = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"reasonCode"]; // Current threat event score NSString *currentThreatEventScore = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"currentThreatEventScore"]; // Total threat events score NSString *threatEventsScore = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"threatEventsScore"]; // Replace '' with your specific event context key // NSString *variable = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@""]; // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }); }];

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[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserverForName: @"" object:nil queue:nil usingBlock:^(NSNotification *org_note) {
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__block NSNotification *note = org_note;
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dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^(void) {
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// Message shown to the user
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NSString *message = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"message"];
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// Threat detection cause
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NSString *reasonData = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"reasonData"];
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// Event reason code
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NSString *reasonCode = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"reasonCode"];
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// Current threat event score
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NSString *currentThreatEventScore = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"currentThreatEventScore"];
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// Total threat events score
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NSString *threatEventsScore = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"threatEventsScore"];
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// NSString *variable = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"<Context Key>"];
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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});
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}];

const { ADDevEvents } = NativeModules; const aDDevEvents = new NativeEventEmitter(ADDevEvents); function registerToDevEvent(action, callback) { NativeModules.ADDevEvents.registerForDevEvent(action); aDDevEvents.addListener(action, callback); } export function registerToAllEvents() { registerToDevEvent( "", (userinfo) => Alert.alert(JSON.stringify(userinfo)) var message = userinfo["message"] // Message shown to the user var reasonData = userinfo["reasonData"] // Threat detection cause var reasonCode = userinfo["reasonCode"] // Event reason code // Current threat event score var currentThreatEventScore = userinfo["currentThreatEventScore"] // Total threat events score var threatEventsScore = userinfo["threatEventsScore"] // Replace '' with your specific event context key // var variable = userinfo[""] // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) ); }

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const { ADDevEvents } = NativeModules;
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const aDDevEvents = new NativeEventEmitter(ADDevEvents);
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function registerToDevEvent(action, callback) {
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NativeModules.ADDevEvents.registerForDevEvent(action);
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aDDevEvents.addListener(action, callback);
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}
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export function registerToAllEvents() {
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registerToDevEvent(
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"",
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(userinfo) => Alert.alert(JSON.stringify(userinfo))
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var message = userinfo["message"] // Message shown to the user
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var reasonData = userinfo["reasonData"] // Threat detection cause
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var reasonCode = userinfo["reasonCode"] // Event reason code
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// Current threat event score
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var currentThreatEventScore = userinfo["currentThreatEventScore"]
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// Total threat events score
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var threatEventsScore = userinfo["threatEventsScore"]
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// var variable = userinfo["<Context Key>"]
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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);
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}

RegisterReceiver(new ThreatEventReceiver(), new IntentFilter("")); class ThreatEventReceiver : BroadcastReceiver { public override void OnReceive(Context context, Intent intent) { String message = intent.GetStringExtra("message"); // Message shown to the user String reasonData = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonData"); // Threat detection cause String reasonCode = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonCode"); // Event reason code // Current threat event score String currentThreatEventScore = intent.GetStringExtra("currentThreatEventScore"); // Total threat events score String threatEventsScore = intent.GetStringExtra("threatEventsScore"); // Replace '' with your specific event context key // String variable = intent.GetStringExtra(""); // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) } }

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RegisterReceiver(new ThreatEventReceiver(), new IntentFilter(""));
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class ThreatEventReceiver : BroadcastReceiver
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{
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public override void OnReceive(Context context, Intent intent)
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{
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// Message shown to the user
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String message = intent.GetStringExtra("message");
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// Threat detection cause
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String reasonData = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonData");
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// Event reason code
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String reasonCode = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonCode");
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// Current threat event score
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String currentThreatEventScore = intent.GetStringExtra("currentThreatEventScore");
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// Total threat events score
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String threatEventsScore = intent.GetStringExtra("threatEventsScore");
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// String variable = intent.GetStringExtra("<Context Key>");
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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}
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}

NSNotificationCenter.DefaultCenter.AddObserver( (NSString)"", // Threat-Event Identifier delegate (NSNotification notification) { // Message shown to the user var message = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("message"); // Threat detection cause var reasonData = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("reasonData"); // Event reason code var reasonCode = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("reasonCode"); // Current threat event score var currentThreatEventScore = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("currentThreatEventScore"); // Total threat events score var threatEventsScore = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("threatEventsScore"); // Replace '' with your specific event context key // var variable = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey(""); // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) } );

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NSNotificationCenter.DefaultCenter.AddObserver(
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(NSString)"", // Threat-Event Identifier
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delegate (NSNotification notification)
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{
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// Message shown to the user
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var message = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("message");
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// Threat detection cause
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var reasonData = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("reasonData");
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// Event reason code
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var reasonCode = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("reasonCode");
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// Current threat event score
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var currentThreatEventScore = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("currentThreatEventScore");
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// Total threat events score
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var threatEventsScore = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("threatEventsScore");
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// var variable = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("<Context Keys>");
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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}
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);

window.broadcaster.addEventListener("", function(userInfo) { var message = userInfo.message // Message shown to the user var reasonData = userInfo.reasonData // Threat detection cause var reasonCode = userInfo.reasonCode // Event reason code // Current threat event score var currentThreatEventScore = userInfo.currentThreatEventScore // Total threat events score var threatEventsScore = userInfo.threatEventsScore // Replace '' with your specific event context key // var variable = userInfo. // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) });

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window.broadcaster.addEventListener("", function(userInfo) {
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var message = userInfo.message // Message shown to the user
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var reasonData = userInfo.reasonData // Threat detection cause
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var reasonCode = userInfo.reasonCode // Event reason code
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// Current threat event score
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var currentThreatEventScore = userInfo.currentThreatEventScore
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// Total threat events score
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var threatEventsScore = userInfo.threatEventsScore
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// var variable = userInfo.<Context Keys>
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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});

import 'dart:async'; import 'package:flutter/material.dart'; import 'package:flutter/services.dart'; class PlatformChannel extends StatefulWidget { const PlatformChannel({super.key}); @override State createState() => _PlatformChannelState(); } class _PlatformChannelState extends State { // Replace with your EventChannel name static const String _eventChannelName = ""; static const EventChannel _eventChannel = EventChannel(_eventChannelName); @override void initState() { super.initState(); _eventChannel.receiveBroadcastStream().listen(_onEvent, onError: _onError); } void _onEvent(Object? event) { setState(() { // Adapt this section based on your specific event data structure var eventData = event as Map; // Example: Accessing 'externalID' field from the event var externalID = eventData['externalID']; // Customize the rest of the fields based on your event structure String message = eventData['message']; // Message shown to the user String reasonData = eventData['reasonData']; // Threat detection cause String reasonCode = eventData['reasonCode']; // Event reason code // Current threat event score String currentThreatEventScore = eventData['currentThreatEventScore']; // Total threat events score String threatEventsScore = eventData['threatEventsScore']; // Replace '' with your specific event context key // String variable = eventData['']; }); } // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }

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import 'dart:async';
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import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
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import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
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class PlatformChannel extends StatefulWidget {
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const PlatformChannel({super.key});
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@override
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State<PlatformChannel> createState() => _PlatformChannelState();
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}
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class _PlatformChannelState extends State<PlatformChannel> {
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// Replace with your EventChannel name
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static const String _eventChannelName = "";
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static const EventChannel _eventChannel = EventChannel(_eventChannelName);
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@override
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void initState() {
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super.initState();
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_eventChannel.receiveBroadcastStream().listen(_onEvent, onError: _onError);
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}
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void _onEvent(Object? event) {
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setState(() {
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// Adapt this section based on your specific event data structure
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var eventData = event as Map;
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// Example: Accessing 'externalID' field from the event
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var externalID = eventData['externalID'];
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// Customize the rest of the fields based on your event structure
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String message = eventData['message']; // Message shown to the user
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String reasonData = eventData['reasonData']; // Threat detection cause
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String reasonCode = eventData['reasonCode']; // Event reason code
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// Current threat event score
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String currentThreatEventScore = eventData['currentThreatEventScore'];
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// Total threat events score
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String threatEventsScore = eventData['threatEventsScore'];
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// String variable = eventData['<Context Keys>'];
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});
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}
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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}

Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured iOS Apps by using Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV). There is no SDK and no library to code or implement in the app and no gateway to deploy in your network. All protections are built into each app and the resulting app is self-defending and self-protecting.

Releasing and Publishing Mobile Apps with Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV)

After successfully securing your app by using Appdome, there are several available options to complete your project, depending on your app lifecycle or workflow. These include:

Customizing, Configuring & Branding Secure Mobile Apps.

Deploying/Publishing Secure mobile apps to Public or Private app stores.

Releasing Secured Android & iOS Apps built on Appdome.

Related Articles:

How to Protect iOS Apps With IDAnchor Using AI

How to Protect Android Apps With IDAnchor Using AI

How to Protect Mobile Apps With Mobile Device ID Using AI

How Do I 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.

How to Securely Retrieve and Use iOS Vendor ID (IDFV) Using AI

What is Apple Vendor ID?

How Appdome Secures iOS Apps by Collecting the Apple Vendor ID (IDFV)

Prerequisites for Using Appdome's Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) Plugins:

How to Implement Use Apple Vendor ID in iOS Apps Using Appdome

Designate the Mobile App to be protected.

Upload an app via the Appdome Mobile Defense platform GUI or via Appdome’s DEV-API or CI/CD Plugins.

Select the defense: Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV).

Add the Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) feature to your security template.

Certify the Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV) feature in iOS Apps

Using Threat-Events™ for Apple Vendor ID Intelligence and Control in iOS Apps

Related Articles:

How Do I Learn More?

Thank you!

Device Binding in the Age of AI

How Persistent Mobile Identity Delivers Stronger API Protection

How App & Install Binding Stop Social Engineering in Mobile Apps

Eliminating Mobile Ad Fraud with IDAnchor™

Threat-Event™ Elements	Use Apple Vendor ID Method Detail
Appdome Feature Name	Protect Apple Vendor ID (IDFV)
Threat-Event Mode
OFF, IN-APP DEFENSE	Appdome detects, defends and notifies user (standard OS dialog) using customizable messaging.
ON, IN-APP DETECTION	Appdome detects the attack or threat and passes the event in a standard format to the app for processing (app chooses how and when to enforce).
ON, IN-APP DEFENSE	Uses Appdome Enforce mode for any attack or threat and passes the event in a standard format to the app for processing (gather intel on attacks and threats without losing any protection).
Certified Secure™ Threat Event Check	x
Visible in ThreatScope™	x
Developer Parameters for Using Apple Vendor ID Threat-Event™
Threat-Event NAME
Threat-Event DATA	reasonData
Threat-Event CODE	reasonCode
Threat-Event SCORE
currentThreatEventScore	Current Threat-Event score
threatEventsScore	Total Threat-events score

Threat-Event Context Keys
Timestamp	The exact time the threat event was triggered, recorded in milliseconds since epoch
message	Message displayed for the user on event
externalID	The external ID of the event which can be listened via Threat Events
osVersion	OS version of the current device
deviceModel	Current device model
deviceManufacturer	The manufacturer of the current device
fusedAppToken	The task ID of the Appdome fusion of the currently running app
kernelInfo	Info about the kernel: system name, node name, release, version and machine.
deviceID	Current device ID
reasonCode	Reason code of the occurred event
threatCode	The last six characters of the threat code specify the OS, allowing the Threat Resolution Center to address the attack on the affected device.