How to Prevent Binary Modification in Android & iOS apps

Learn to Prevent Binary Modification in Mobile apps, in mobile CI/CD with a Data-Driven DevSecOps™ build system.

What is Binary Modification?

Binary modification refers to the process of altering the content of binary files. Binary files are non-text files, and control most of how the app looks and feels. Binary files can be compiled code, images, audio, video, plus any other format used in the code. Modification of these files involves changing some part of the binary file or replacing it by another file. This can result in altering the behavior or appearance of the app, sometimes in a way the human eye won’t easily notice.

Why Prevent Binary Modification?

Preventing binary modification is vital to maintain the integrity, appearance, and functionality of mobile applications. Such alterations can drastically change an app’s look, feel, and core operations, leading to unexpected results. For instance, binary modification can introduce software crashes, embed malicious code, or alter the graphical interface, making it unfamiliar or even unusable to its regular users. Safeguarding against these changes ensures a consistent and secure user experience.

Prerequisites for Using Prevent Binary Modification:

To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Prevent Binary Modification , you’ll need:

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

Prevent Binary Modification on Mobile apps using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these simple steps to create self-defending Mobile Apps that Prevent Binary Modification 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. Prevent Binary Modification Compatible With: Obj-C, C+, Java, JS, C#, C++, Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, and more

2. Build the feature: Prevent Binary Modification.

   1. Building Prevent Binary Modification by using Appdome’s DEV-API:

      1. Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Prevent Binary Modification feature as shown below:
      

      Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Prevent Binary Modification 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 Prevent Binary Modification feature via Appdome Console, to add the Prevent Binary Modification 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 Prevent Binary Modification feature via Appdome Console

      To build the Prevent Binary Modification protection by using Appdome Console, follow the instructions below.

      1. Where: Inside the Appdome Console, go to Build > Anti Fraud Tab > Mobile Cheat Prevention section.

         Like all other options in ONEShield™, Prevent Binary Modification is turned on by default, as shown below:

         Figure 3: Prevent Binary Modification 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: Check whether Runtime Bundle Validation is toggled On (enabled), otherwise enable it . You can see that the feature Prevent Binary Modification is enabled by default, as shown below.

         Figure 3: Prevent Binary Modification option

      3. When you enable Runtime Bundle Validation you'll notice that your Fusion Set you created in step 2.1.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Prevent Binary Modification

         

         Figure 4: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Prevent Binary Modification protection

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

   Congratulations!  The Prevent Binary Modification protection is now added to the mobile app

3. Certify the Prevent Binary Modification feature in Mobile Apps.

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