How to Use API Protection in MobileBOT™ Defense Using AI
This Knowledge Base article describes how to use Appdome’s AI in your CI/CD pipeline to continuously deliver plugins that Add API Protection in Mobile apps.
What is API Protection?
API Protection is Appdome’s comprehensive framework for protecting mobile API communication. It combines multiple MobileBOT™ Defense capabilities to secure API requests, verify session integrity, identify device and application risks, and provide trusted security signals to backend services and Web Application Firewalls (WAFs). By protecting every stage of API communication, API Protection helps organizations prevent unauthorized access, API abuse, automated attacks, and session-based threats.
How Appdome Protects Mobile Apps with API Protection?
Appdome’s API Protection combines multiple MobileBOT™ Defense capabilities to secure communication between mobile applications and backend APIs. Together, these capabilities validate session integrity, evaluate device and application risks, protect request payloads, and provide trusted security information to backend services and Web Application Firewalls (WAFs).
API Protection helps organizations protect mobile APIs against unauthorized access, session manipulation, API abuse, automated attacks, replay attacks, and request tampering while allowing backend systems to make informed security decisions. The following sections describe each capability included in API Protection.
Protected API

The Protected API field defines which API endpoints are protected by the API Protection framework.
Only requests matching the configured Protected API endpoint are processed by API Protection and receive the configured security capabilities, including Session Risk, Payload Protection, and additional request validation mechanisms.
Session Risk

The Session Risk feature evaluates protected API requests and determines the security posture of each session. Session Risk uses multiple request validation mechanisms together with device and application security signals to classify protected API requests as either:
- Safe
- At-Risk
The resulting session classification can then be consumed by backend services and Web Application Firewalls (WAFs).
API Session Keys
API Session Keys configure the identifiers used by Session Risk.
For each Protected API, configure the following session keys:
- Safe Session Key
- At-Risk Session Key
These values are inserted into protected requests and allow backend services and Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) to identify whether a request originated from a trusted or at-risk session.
For detailed configuration instructions, see:
How to Use API Session Keys with MobileBOT™ Defense Using AI
Unauthorized API Access Signals
Unauthorized API Access Signals define which device and application security signals contribute to Session Risk classification.
Supported security signals include:
- Root
- Magisk
- Frida
- Emulator
- MITM
- and other supported security detections.
The selected signals are evaluated by Session Risk when classifying protected API requests.
For detailed configuration instructions, see:
How to Use Unauthorized API Access Signals with MobileBOT™ Defense Using AI
Payload Protection

The Payload Protection capabilities ensure the integrity and authenticity of protected API requests before they reach backend services. Together, these capabilities allow backend systems to verify request authenticity, validate payload integrity, securely associate requests with the appropriate security configuration, and detect request tampering.
Payload Signing Key
Payload Signing protects request integrity by cryptographically signing protected API requests. Backend services can validate signed requests before processing them. This helps ensure that request payloads cannot be modified without detection.
ConfigID
ConfigID is a unique identifier that enables backend services to determine which encryption and integrity keys were used to protect each API request. By identifying the appropriate security configuration, ConfigID allows backend systems to seamlessly support and validate requests across multiple application versions and security configurations.
Session Fingerprint (TTL)
Session Fingerprint (TTL) is a unique, time-bound security identifier included in protected API requests.
The Session Fingerprint authenticates session headers and helps ensure that requests originate from a trusted source within a valid time window, reducing the risk of replay attacks and unauthorized request reuse.
Appdome Signed Payload
The Appdome Signed Payload contains cryptographically signed request information that backend services can validate to verify request authenticity and integrity.
Appdome ThreatID™
Appdome ThreatID™ provides trusted security metadata that identifies the security posture of the protected request and mobile application. Backend systems can use ThreatID to apply security policies, correlate security events, and make informed security decisions. For more information:
How to Use Appdome ThreatID™ with MobileBOT™ Defense
Advanced API Protection

These optional capabilities extend API Protection by providing additional authorization, request validation, payload customization, and bot mitigation mechanisms for advanced deployment scenarios.
Packet Filtering Authorization
Packet Filtering Authorization provides backend services with trusted telemetry generated by authorized network security layers, such as antivirus solutions or enterprise security gateways. The transmitted metadata, including certificate information such as Certificate Common Names (CNs) and SHA1 fingerprints, enables Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) to recognize traffic that has been legitimately inspected or modified by trusted filtering solutions, helping to prevent false positives while maintaining strong security policies.
Custom Key/Header
Custom Key/Header allows developers to add custom key-value pairs to protected API requests. These custom values can be used by backend services or Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) to identify applications, apply organization-specific security policies, or transmit additional trusted metadata required by the protected API.
Flex Enforcement
Flex Enforcement provides additional flexibility when applying API Protection policies by allowing organizations to adapt protection behavior to specific application or backend requirements. It enables API Protection deployments to accommodate different implementation scenarios while maintaining the integrity and security of protected API communications.
Prevent Mobile API Scraping
Prevent Mobile API Scraping protects mobile APIs against automated data harvesting and Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) extraction attempts. By cryptographically binding every protected API request to a trusted host identity, the feature helps prevent non-human agents, proxies, and scraping tools from intercepting or replaying sensitive API traffic.
Add to Bot Defense Payload
Add to Bot Defense Payload allows developers to include additional user-defined metadata or custom security signals within the encrypted MobileBOT™ Defense payload transmitted to backend services and Web Application Firewalls (WAFs). This enables organizations to extend the information available for backend validation and security policy enforcement without modifying application code.
Use Bot Defense Pin to Host Identity
Use Bot Defense Pin to Host Identity leverages the active MobileBOT™ Defense session to ensure that secure API communication is established only with a verified and trusted host identity. By binding the connection to the trusted host defined by the MobileBOT™ Defense policy, the feature helps prevent communication with unauthorized or spoofed endpoints.
Prerequisites for Using Appdome's API Protection Plugins:
To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Add API Protection , you’ll need:
- Appdome account (create a free Appdome account here)
- A license for API Protection
- Mobile App (.ipa for iOS, or .apk or .aab for Android)
- Signing Credentials (see Signing Secure Android apps and Signing Secure iOS apps)
How to Implement Add API Protection in Mobile Apps Using Appdome
On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending Mobile Apps that Add API Protection without an SDK or gateway:
-
Designate the Mobile App to be protected.
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Upload an app via the Appdome Mobile Defense platform GUI or via Appdome’s DEV-API or CI/CD Plugins.
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Mobile App Formats: .ipa for iOS, or .apk or .aab for Android
-
API Protection is compatible with: Obj-C, Java, JS, C#, C++, Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, and more.
-
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Select the defense: API Protection.
-
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Follow the steps in Sections 2.2-2.2.2 of this article to add the API Protection feature to your Fusion Set via the Appdome Console.
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When you select the API Protection you'll notice that the Fusion Set you created in step 2.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains API Protection.
Figure 2: Fusion Set that displays the newly added API Protection 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
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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.
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Look for sample APIs in Appdome’s GitHub Repository.
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Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the API Protection feature as shown below:
Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the API Protection feature
-
-
Add the API Protection feature to your security template.
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Navigate to Build > API & Bot Protection tab > MobileBOT™ Defense section in the Appdome Console.
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Toggle On > API Protection.
Figure 4: Selecting Add API Protection
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Congratulations! The API Protection protection is now added to the mobile app -
-
Certify the API Protection feature in Mobile Apps
After building API Protection, Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the API Protection protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the API Protection 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 API Protection has been added to each Mobile app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that API Protection and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app.
Using Threat-Events™ for API Protection Intelligence and Control in Mobile Apps
Appdome Threat-Events™ provides consumable in-app mobile app attack intelligence and defense control when API Protection is detected. To consume and use Threat-Events™ for API Protection in Mobile Apps, use AddObserverForName in Notification Center, and the code samples for Threat-Events™ for API Protection shown below.
The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for API Protection are:
| Threat-Event™ Elements | Add API Protection Method Detail |
|---|---|
| Appdome Feature Name | API Protection |
| 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 Adding API Protection 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. |
| carrierPlmn | PLMN of the device. Only available for Android devices. |
| deviceID | Current device ID |
| reasonCode | Reason code of the occurred event |
| deviceBrand | Brand of the device |
| deviceBoard | Board of the device |
| buildUser | Build user |
| buildHost | Build host |
| sdkVersion | Sdk version |
| 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), Mobile developers can get detailed attack intelligence and granular defense control in Mobile applications and create amazing user experiences for all mobile end users when API Protection is detected.
The following is a code sample for native Mobile apps, which uses all values in the specification above for API Protection:
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.
xxxxxxxxxxIntentFilter intentFilter = new IntentFilter();intentFilter.addAction("");BroadcastReceiver threatEventReceiver = new BroadcastReceiver() { public 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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // String variable = intent.getStringExtra("<Context Key>"); // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }};if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.TIRAMISU) { registerReceiver(threatEventReceiver, intentFilter, Context.RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED);} else { registerReceiver(threatEventReceiver, intentFilter);}xxxxxxxxxxval intentFilter = IntentFilter()intentFilter.addAction("")val threatEventReceiver = object : BroadcastReceiver() { override fun onReceive(context: Context?, intent: Intent?) { var message = intent?.getStringExtra("message") // Message shown to the user var reasonData = intent?.getStringExtra("reasonData") // Threat detection cause var reasonCode = intent?.getStringExtra("reasonCode") // Event reason code // Current threat event score var currentThreatEventScore = intent?.getStringExtra("currentThreatEventScore") // Total threat events score var threatEventsScore = intent?.getStringExtra("threatEventsScore") // Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // var variable = intent?.getStringExtra("<Context Key>") // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }}if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.TIRAMISU) { registerReceiver(threatEventReceiver, intentFilter, Context.RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED)} else { registerReceiver(threatEventReceiver, intentFilter)}x
let center = NotificationCenter.defaultcenter.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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // let variable = usrInf["<Context Key>"]; // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)}xxxxxxxxxx[[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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // NSString *variable = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"<Context Key>"]; // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) });}];xxxxxxxxxxconst { 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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // var variable = userinfo["<Context Key>"] // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) );}x
RegisterReceiver(new ThreatEventReceiver(), new IntentFilter("")); class ThreatEventReceiver : BroadcastReceiver{ public override void OnReceive(Context context, Intent intent) { // Message shown to the user String message = intent.GetStringExtra("message"); // Threat detection cause String reasonData = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonData"); // Event reason code String reasonCode = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonCode"); // Current threat event score String currentThreatEventScore = intent.GetStringExtra("currentThreatEventScore"); // Total threat events score String threatEventsScore = intent.GetStringExtra("threatEventsScore"); // Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // String variable = intent.GetStringExtra("<Context Key>"); // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }}x
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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // var variable = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("<Context Keys>"); // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) });xxxxxxxxxxwindow.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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // var variable = userInfo.<Context Keys> // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)});x
import 'dart:async';import 'package:flutter/material.dart';import 'package:flutter/services.dart';class PlatformChannel extends StatefulWidget { const PlatformChannel({super.key}); State<PlatformChannel> createState() => _PlatformChannelState();}class _PlatformChannelState extends State<PlatformChannel> { // Replace with your EventChannel name static const String _eventChannelName = ""; static const EventChannel _eventChannel = EventChannel(_eventChannelName); 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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // String variable = eventData['<Context Keys>']; }); } // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)}Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured Mobile Apps by using API Protection. 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 API Protection
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 Use Appdome MobileBOT™ Defense
- How to Use Appdome ThreatID™ In Mobile Bot Defense Using AI
- How to Use API Session Keys in Mobile Bot Defense 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.