How to Detect SU Binaries in iOS Apps

Last updated December 10, 2023 by Appdome

This Knowledge Base article describes how to use Appdome’s AI/ML in your CI/CD pipeline to continuously deliver plugins that Detect SU Binaries in iOS apps.

What are SU Binaries on iOS?

SU Binaries, also known as “SuperUser” or simply “SU,” play a crucial role in iOS jailbreaking. When an iOS device is “jailbroken,” the user gains elevated (superuser) privileges, enabling them to modify or access system components that would typically be restricted. These elevated permissions are facilitated by the SU binary.

Why Detect SU Binaries in iOS Apps?

If an iOS device has undergone jailbreaking, it can circumvent system security mechanisms, modify system settings, remove or alter system apps, and potentially install malicious software without the user’s awareness. This can put the user’s private data at risk and make the device susceptible to various threats, including memory dumping, debugging, data theft, and more. Detecting SU binaries helps ensure that apps operate as designed and that user data remains protected.

 

Prerequisites for Using Appdome's Detect SU Binaries Plugins:

To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Detect SU Binaries , you’ll need:

How to Implement Detect SU Binaries in iOS Apps Using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these simple steps to create self-defending iOS Apps that Detect SU Binaries without an SDK or gateway:

  1. 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. Detect SU Binaries is compatible with: Obj-C, Java, Swift, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, Cordova and other iOS apps.
  2. Select the defense: Detect SU Binaries.

      1. Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Detect SU Binaries feature as shown below:
        fusion set that contains Detect SU Binaries .

        Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Detect SU Binaries feature
        Note: Naming the Fusion Set to correspond to the protection(s) selected is for illustration purposes only (not required).

      2. Follow the steps in Sections 2.2-2.2.2 of this article to add the Detect SU Binaries feature to your Fusion Set via the Appdome Console.

      3. When you enable Jailbreak Detection you'll notice that the Fusion Set you created in step 2.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Detect SU Binaries.

        Fusion Set applied Detect SU Binaries

        Figure 2: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Detect SU Binaries protection
        Note: Annotating the Fusion Set to identify the protection(s) selected is optional only (not mandatory).

      4. 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): fusion Set Detail Summary image

        Figure 3: Fusion Set Detail Summary

      5. 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:
        1. Refer to the Appdome API Reference Guide for API building instructions.
        2. Look for sample APIs in Appdome’s GitHub Repository.
    1. Add the Detect SU Binaries feature to your security template.

      1. Navigate to Build > Security tab > OS Integrity section in the Appdome Console.
      2. Toggle On Jailbreak Detection > Detect SU Binaries.
        Note: The checkmark feature Detect SU Binaries is enabled by default, as shown below. Detect SU Binaries option

        Figure 4: Selecting Detect SU Binaries

        Note: The Appdome Platform displays the Mobile Operation Systems supported by each defense in real-time. For more details, see our OS Support Policy KB.

      3. Configure the User Experience Options for Detect SU Binaries:
        With Threat-Events™ OFF, Appdome provides several user experience options for mobile brands and developers.
        1. App Compromise Notification: Customize the pop-up or toast Appdome uses to notify the user when a threat is present while using the protected mobile app.
        2. Short message Option. This is available for mobile devices that allow a banner notification for security events.
        3. Localized Message Option. Allows Appdome users to support global languages in security notifications.

          Localized Message

          Figure 5: Default User Experience Options for Appdome’s SU Binaries

        4. Detect SU Binaries Threat Code™. Appdome uses AI/ML to generate a unique code each time Detect SU Binaries is triggered by an active threat on the mobile device. Use the code in Appdome Threat Resolution Center™ to help end users identify, find and resolve active threats on the personal mobile devices.
    2. 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 Detect SU Binaries protection is now added to the mobile app
  3. Certify the Detect SU Binaries feature in iOS Apps

    After building Detect SU Binaries, Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the Detect SU Binaries protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the Detect SU Binaries protection has been added to the mobile app, locate the protection in the Certified Secure™ certificate as shown below: Detect SU Binaries shown in Certificate secure

    Figure 6: 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 Detect SU Binaries has been added to each iOS app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Detect SU Binaries and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app.

Using Threat-Events™ for SU Binaries Intelligence and Control in iOS Apps

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

The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for SU Binaries are:

Threat-Event™ Elements Detect SU Binaries Method Detail
Appdome Feature Name Detect SU Binaries
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 Detecting SU Binaries Threat-Event™
Threat-Event NAME
Threat-Event DATA reasonData
Threat-Event CODE reasonCode
Threat-Event REF
Threat-Event SCORE
currentThreatEventScore Current Threat-Event score
threatEventsScore Total Threat-events score
Threat-Event Context Keys
message Message displayed for the user on event
failSafeEnforce Timed enforcement against the identified threat
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
buildDate Appdome fusion date of the current application
devicePlatform OS name of the current device
updatedOSVersion Is the OS version up to date
timeZone Time zone
deviceFaceDown Is the device face down
locationLong Location longitude conditioned by location permission
locationLat Location latitude conditioned by location permission
locationState Location state conditioned by location permission
wifiSsid Wifi SSID
wifiSsidPermissionStatus Wifi SSID permission status
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 SU Binaries are detected.


The following is a code sample for native iOS apps, which uses all values in the specification above for Detect SU Binaries:


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.



Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured iOS Apps by using Detect SU Binaries. 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 Detect SU Binaries

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:

Related Articles:

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.

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