How to Prevent Mods & Hacks that Require Re-Signing iOS Apps
Learn to Prevent App Piracy in iOS apps, in mobile CI/CD with a Data-Driven DevSecOps™ build system.
What is App Piracy?
Fraudsters and other cyber-criminals routinely use jailbroken phones to copy, clone, or embed malware inside legitimate mobile apps. After that, they repackage, re-sign, and try either to send the apps that has been tampered with to another individual or to re-distribute these fake/malicious apps to an app store (Apple’s App Store or an alternative app store). These apps are sent or re-distributed for malicious uses, such as creating malware trojans and malicious versions for compromising and attacking mobile users.
How does Appdome Prevent App Piracy in iOS Apps?
Appdome’s Secure App Signature feature validates the app signature to ensure the app has been signed by an authorized developer. When you build an iOS with Appdome’s Secure App Signature feature, Appdome saves the application identifier at the time the app is signed by the authorized developer. If the application identifier has changed, Appdome will detect it and prevent the app from running.
Secure App Signature prevents mobile app piracy, as well as fakes, clones, mods, and tweaks by ensuring that only authorized developers can sign and distribute apps.
Preventing App Piracy on iOS apps by Using Appdome
On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending iOS Apps that Prevent App Piracy without an SDK or gateway:
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Upload the Mobile App to Appdome.
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Upload an app to Appdome’s Mobile App Security Build System
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Upload Method: Appdome Console or DEV-API
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iOS Formats: .ipa
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Build the feature: Secure App Signature.
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Building Secure App Signature by using Appdome’s DEV-API:
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Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Secure App Signature feature as shown below:
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Follow the steps in Sections 2.2.1-2.2.2 of this article, Building the Secure App Signature feature via Appdome Console, to add the Secure App Signature feature to this Fusion Set.
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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). -
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:
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Build an API for the app – for instructions, see the tasks under Appdome API Reference Guide
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Look for sample APIs in Appdome’s GitHub Repository
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Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Secure App Signature feature
Note: Naming the Fusion Set to correspond to the protection(s) selected is for illustration purposes only (not required). -
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Building the Secure App Signature feature via Appdome Console
To build the Secure App Signature protection by using Appdome Console, follow the instructions below.
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Where: Inside the Appdome Console, go to Build > Anti Fraud Tab > Mobile Cheat Prevention section
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How: Toggle (turn ON) Secure App Signature, as shown below.
If needed, Customize the Threat Notification to be displayed to the mobile end-user in a standard OS dialog notification when Appdome Prevents App Piracy.Figure 3: Prevent App Piracy 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. -
When you select the Secure App Signature you'll notice that your Fusion Set you created in step 2.1.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Secure App Signature
Figure 4: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Secure App Signature protection
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Select the Threat-Event™ in-app mobile Threat Defense and Intelligence policy for Secure App Signature:
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Threat-Events™ OFF > In-App Defense
If the Threat-Events™ setting is cleared (not selected). Appdome will detect and defend the user and app by enforcing Prevent App Piracy.
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Threat-Events™ ON > In-App Detection
When this setting is used, Appdome detects if an iOS app has been resigned by non-authorized developer and passes Appdome’s Threat-Event™ attack intelligence to the app’s business logic for processing, enforcement, and user notification. For more information on consuming and using Appdome Threat-Events™ in the app, see section Using Threat-Events™ for Secure App Signature Intelligence and Control in Mobile Apps.
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Threat-Events™ ON > In-App Defense
When this setting is used, Appdome detects and defends against App Piracy (same as Appdome Enforce) and passes Appdome’s Threat-Event™ attack intelligence the app’s business logic for processing. For more information on consuming and using Appdome Threat-Events™ in the app, see section Using Threat-Events™ for Secure App Signature Intelligence and Control in Mobile Apps.
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Click Build My App at the bottom of the Build Workflow (shown in Figure 3).
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Congratulations! The Secure App Signature protection is now added to the mobile app -
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Certify the Secure App Signature feature in iOS Apps.
After building Secure App Signature, Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the Secure App Signature protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the Secure App Signature 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 Secure App Signature has been added to each iOS app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Secure App Signature and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app
Using Threat-Events™ for App Piracy Intelligence and Control in iOS Apps
Appdome Threat-Events™ provides consumable in-app mobile app attack intelligence and defense control when App Piracy is detected. To consume and use Threat-Events™ for App Piracy in iOS Apps, use AddObserverForName in Notification Center, and the code samples for Threat-Events™ for App Piracy shown below.
The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for App Piracy are:
Threat-Event™ Elements | Prevent App Piracy Method Detail |
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Appdome Feature Name | Secure App Signature |
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 | |
Visible in ThreatScope™ | |
Developer Parameters for Preventing App Piracy Threat-Event™ | |
Threat-Event NAME | SecureSignatureAppResigned |
Threat-Event DATA | reasonData |
Threat-Event CODE | reasonCode |
Threat-Event REF | 6903 |
Threat-Event SCORE | |
currentThreatEventScore | Current Threat-Event score |
threatEventsScore | Total Threat-events score |
Threat-Event Context Keys | |
blocked | was the keyboard blocked (True/False) |
carrierPlmn | carrier identity number (PLMN code) |
defaultMessage | the message that would be shown to the user in enforcement mode |
deviceBrand | brand of the mobile device |
deviceID | unique mobile installation identifier |
deviceManufacturer | manufacturer of the mobile device |
deviceModel | mobile device model |
extendedMessageText | allows receiving extended metadata about threat events. Available only if the option |
fusedAppToken | Appdome Built ID App Token |
kernelInfo | Kernel information and details |
Keyboard | package ID of the unauthorized keyboard to which the user tried to switch |
osVersion | The mobile device OS version |
sdkversion | iOS SDK Version |
timestamp | UNIX timestamp when event happened |
OS Platform(s) Method | iOS (registerReceiver) |
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 App Piracy is detected.
The following is a code sample for native iOS apps, which uses all values in the specification above for Secure App Signature:
let center = NotificationCenter.default
center.addObserver(forName: Notification.Name("SecureSignatureAppResigned"), 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
let currentThreatEventScore = usrInf["currentThreatEventScore"]; // Current threat event score
let threatEventsScore = usrInf["threatEventsScore"]; // Total threat events score
let variable = usrInf["<Context Key>"]; // Any other event specific context key
// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
}
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserverForName: @"SecureSignatureAppResigned" object:nil queue:nil usingBlock:^(NSNotification *org_note) {
__block NSNotification *note = org_note;
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^(void) {
var threatEventsScore = intent.getStringExtra("threatEventsScore")
NSString *message = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"message"]; // Message shown to the user
NSString *reasonData = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"reasonData"]; // Threat detection cause
NSString *reasonCode = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"reasonCode"]; // Event reason code
NSString *currentThreatEventScore = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"currentThreatEventScore"]; // Current threat event score
NSString *threatEventsScore = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"threatEventsScore"]; // Total threat events score
NSString *variable = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"<Context Key>"]; // Any other event specific context key
// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
});
}];
const { ADDevEvents } = NativeModules;
const aDDevEvents = new NativeEventEmitter(ADDevEvents);
function registerToDevEvent(action, callback) {
NativeModules.ADDevEvents.registerForDevEvent(action);
aDDevEvents.addListener(action, callback);
}
export function registerToAllEvents() {
registerToDevEvent(
"SecureSignatureAppResigned",
(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
var currentThreatEventScore = userinfo["currentThreatEventScore"] // Current threat event score
var threatEventsScore = userinfo["threatEventsScore"] // Total threat events score
var variable = userinfo["<Context Key>"] // Any other event specific context key
// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
);
}
RegisterReceiver(new ThreatEventReceiver(), new IntentFilter("SecureSignatureAppResigned"));
class ThreatEventReceiver : BroadcastReceiver
{
public override 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
String currentThreatEventScore = intent.getStringExtra("currentThreatEventScore"); // Current threat event score
String threatEventsScore = intent.getStringExtra("threatEventsScore"); // Total threat events score
String variable = intent.getStringExtra("<Context Key>"); // Any other event specific context key
// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
}
}
window.broadcaster.addEventListener("SecureSignatureAppResigned", 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
var currentThreatEventScore = userInfo.currentThreatEventScore // Current threat event score
var threatEventsScore = userInfo.threatEventsScore // Total threat events score
var variable = userInfo.<Context Key> // Any other event specific context key
// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
});
Prerequisites to Using Secure App Signature:
To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Prevent App Piracy , you’ll need:
- Appdome account (create a free Appdome account here)
- A license for Secure App Signature
- Mobile App (.ipa For iOS)
- Signing Credentials (see Signing Secure Android apps and Signing Secure iOS apps)
Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured iOS Apps by using Secure App Signature. 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 Secure App Signature
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.
All apps protected by Appdome are fully compatible with any public app store, including Apple App Store, Google Play, Huawei App Gallery and more.
Features Similar to Secure App Signature
Here are a few related resources:
How to Prevent non-approved Android, iOS app store publishing
request a demo at any time.
If you have any questions, please send them our way at support@appdome.com or via the chat window on the Appdome platform.
If you have any questions, please send them our way at support.appdome.com or via the chat window on the Appdome platform.
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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.