How to Use External Seed in Android & iOS Encryption Key

Learn to Initialize a pseudo or random number generator in Mobile apps, in mobile CI/CD with a Data-Driven DevSecOps™ build system.

What is an External Seed for Data at Rest Encryption?

An external seed for Data at Rest Encryption is a number used to initialize a pseudo or random number generator for creating the encryption keys utilized in Data at Rest encryption for mobile apps.

How does Appdome Implement External Seed for Data at Rest Encryption?

Appdome provides in-App Generated Seed for Data at Rest Encryption. This feature  allows developers or other mobility, security or IT professionals to seed Appdome’s data at rest capabilities with an external secret, derived from a backend server or from user input. This results in the derivation of a unique encryption key. The Data at Rest encryption key will be seeded via Appdome Dev-Events.  With DEV-Events™ you can use Appdome to handle in apps events and seed you key internally.

For details, see external seed on native apps.

Initialize a pseudo or random number generator on Mobile apps using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending Mobile Apps that Initialize a pseudo or random number generator without an SDK or gateway:

1. Upload the Mobile App to Appdome.

   1. Upload an app to Appdome’s Mobile App Security Build System

   2. Upload Method: Appdome Console or DEV-API
   3. Mobile App Formats: .ipa For iOS device or .apk or .aab
   4. Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed Compatible With: Obj-C, C+, Java, JS, C#, C++, Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, and more

2. Build the feature: Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed.

   1. Building Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed by using Appdome’s DEV-API:

      1. Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed feature as shown below:
      

      Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed 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 2.2.1-2.2.2 of this article, Building the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed feature via Appdome Console, to add the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed feature to this Fusion Set.

      3. Open the Fusion Set Detail Summary by clicking the “...” symbol on the far-right corner of the Fusion Set, as shown in Figure 1 above, and get the Fusion Set ID from the Fusion Set Detail Summary (as shown below):

         Figure 2: Fusion Set Detail Summary
         Note: Annotating the Fusion Set to identify the protection(s) selected is optional only (not mandatory).

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

         1. Build an API for the app – for instructions, see the tasks under Appdome API Reference Guide
         2. Look for sample APIs in Appdome’s GitHub Repository

   2. Building the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed feature via Appdome Console

      To build the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed protection by using Appdome Console, follow the instructions below.

      1. Where: Inside the Appdome Console, go to Build > Security Tab > TOTALData™ Encryption section
      2. How: Toggle (turn ON) Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed, as shown below.

         Figure 3: Initialize a pseudo or random number generator option

      3. When you select the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed you'll notice that your Fusion Set you created in step 2.1.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed

         

         Figure 4: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed protection

      4. Click Build My App at the bottom of the Build Workflow (shown in Figure 3).

   Congratulations!  The Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed protection is now added to the mobile app

3. Certify the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed feature in Mobile Apps.

   After building Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed, Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed 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 Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed has been added to each Mobile app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app