How to Secure Android & iOS Apps with Pin to Host

Learn to Use Pin to Host in Mobile apps, in mobile CI/CD with a Data-Driven DevSecOps™ build system.

What is Pin to Host?

Pin to Host is an advanced Appdome MOBILEBot™ Defense feature designed to fortify mobile applications against a range of cyber attacks by establishing a more secure and controlled communication channel between the app and its designated server. Building on the principles of Secure Certificate Pinning, which focuses on validating the server’s SSL certificate against a known set of certificates embedded in the app, Pin to Host goes a step further by incorporating advanced security measures. These include enforcing specific cipher suites, TLS (Transport Layer Security) versions, and the integration of session headers. This combination of security measures ensures that mobile applications can securely connect to their designated servers, not just by verifying the server’s certificate but also by ensuring that the communication employs the most secure and up-to-date encryption standards. Through this comprehensive approach, Pin to Host offers a tighter security loop, significantly enhancing the application’s ability to protect data during transmission.

Why Pin to Host is Essential for Mobile App Security?

The adoption of Pin to Host is particularly beneficial in protecting mobile apps against various cyber threats, such as man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, where attackers intercept and potentially alter the communication between the app and its server. By enforcing the use of pre-defined cipher suites and TLS versions, Pin to Host minimizes the risks associated with weak encryption algorithms and outdated security protocols, which are common entry points for hackers. Furthermore, Pin to Host’s compatibility with Session Headers adds an additional layer of security, ensuring that each session is uniquely authenticated and encrypted. This is especially important in scenarios where sensitive information, such as personal data and financial transactions, is transmitted between the app and the server. By leveraging the advanced capabilities of Pin to Host, app developers can provide a safer environment for their users, instilling confidence and ensuring a secure user experience across both iOS and Android mobile applications.

Note: Please be aware that the Security Certificate Pinning and the Anti Bot Pin to Host are mutually exclusive. Implementing them together will result in a conflict within the engine. Ensure to use only one method at a time to avoid potential issues.

Prerequisites for Using Pin to Host:

To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Use Pin to Host , you’ll need:

• Appdome account (create a free Appdome account here)
• A license for Pin to Host
• Mobile App (.ipa for iOS, or .apk or .aab for Android)
• Signing Credentials (see Signing Secure Android apps and Signing Secure iOS apps)

Use Pin to Host on Mobile apps using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending Mobile Apps that Use Pin to Host 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, or .apk or .aab for Android
   4. Pin to Host Compatible With: Obj-C, C+, Java, JS, C#, C++, Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, and more

2. Build the feature: Pin to Host.

   1. Building Pin to Host by using Appdome’s DEV-API:

      1. Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Pin to Host feature as shown below:
      

      Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Pin to Host 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 Pin to Host feature via Appdome Console, to add the Pin to Host 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 Pin to Host feature via Appdome Console

      To build the Pin to Host protection by using Appdome Console, follow the instructions below.

      1. Where: Inside the Appdome Console, go to Build > Anti Bot Tab > MOBILEBot™ Defense section.

         Like all other options in ONEShield™, Pin to Host is turned on by default, as shown below:

         Figure 3: Pin to Host option
         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.

      2. How: Toggle (turn ON) Pin to Host, as shown below.

         Figure 3: Use Pin to Host option

      3. When you select the Pin to Host you'll notice that your Fusion Set you created in step 2.1.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Pin to Host

         

         Figure 4: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Pin to Host protection

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

   Congratulations!  The Pin to Host protection is now added to the mobile app

3. Certify the Pin to Host feature in Mobile Apps.

   After building Pin to Host, Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the Pin to Host protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the Pin to Host 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 Pin to Host has been added to each Mobile app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Pin to Host and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app