How to Block Lucky Patcher & Patching Tools in Android Apps

Last updated November 9, 2023 by Appdome

Learn to Block Lucky Patcher in Android apps, in mobile CI/CD with a Data-Driven DevSecOps™ build system.

What is Lucky Patcher?

Lucky Patcher is a free ‘app modifier’ app used for cheating in Android mobile games. Although there are both root and no-root versions of Lucky Patcher, the more powerful hacking/modding functions require root access or Rooting Android.  On rooted devices, Lucky Patcher enables more powerful functions, such as the ability to bypass in-app purchases, obtain special game powers, disable ads in mobile games, or turn off licensing verification to play premium games for free.

Why Block Lucky Patcher in Android Apps?

Lucky Patcher is harmful to mobile games and game developers for several reasons. For one, gamers/hackers can use Lucky Patcher to bypass license validation and/or disable mobile advertising – the two primary revenue sources for most mobile games. In addition, blocking Lucky Patcher preserves the integrity of the game and prevents attrition from non-cheaters who are frustrated by the growing number of players who use tools like Lucky Patcher to gain advantages at the expense of honest players. Appdome’s Root Detection feature allows app developers to quickly and easily protect apps against Rooting, by blocking apps such as Lucky Patcher that rely on Android rooting and root cloaking in order to enable the more powerful cheating features.

Prerequisites for Using Root Detection:

To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Block Lucky Patcher , you’ll need:

Block Lucky Patcher on Android apps using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending Android Apps that Block Lucky Patcher 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. Android Formats: .apk or .aab
    4. Root Detection Compatible With: Java, JS, C++, C#, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, Cordova and other Android apps
  2. Build the feature: Root Detection.

    1. Building Root Detection by using Appdome’s DEV-API:

      1. Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Root Detection feature as shown below:
      2. fusion set that contains Root Detection

        Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Root Detection feature
        Note: Naming the Fusion Set to correspond to the protection(s) selected is for illustration purposes only (not required).

      3. Follow the steps in Sections 2.2.1-2.2.2 of this article, Building the Root Detection feature via Appdome Console, to add the Root Detection feature to this Fusion Set.

      4. 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): fusion Set Detail Summary image

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

      5. 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, Circle 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 Root Detection feature via Appdome Console

      To build the Root Detection protection by using Appdome Console, follow the instructions below.

      1. Where: Inside the Appdome Console, go to Build > Security Tab > OS Integrity section.
      2. How: Check whether is toggled On (enabled), otherwise enable it . The feature Root Detection is enabled by default, as shown below. Toggle (turn ON) Root Detection, 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 Blocks Lucky Patcher.
        Root Detection option

        Figure 3: Block Lucky Patcher 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.

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

        Fusion Set applied Root Detection

        Figure 4: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Root Detection protection

      4. Click Build My App at the bottom of the Build Workflow (shown in Figure 3).
    Congratulations!  The Root Detection protection is now added to the mobile app
  3. Certify the Root Detection feature in Android Apps

    After building Root Detection, Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the Root Detection protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the Root Detection protection has been added to the mobile app, locate the protection in the Certified Secure™ certificate as shown below: Root Detection shown in Certificate secure

    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 Root Detection has been added to each Android app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Root Detection and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app

Using Threat-Events™ for Lucky Patcher Intelligence and Control in Android Apps

Appdome Threat-Events™ provides consumable in-app mobile app attack intelligence and defense control when Lucky Patcher is detected. To consume and use Threat-Events™ for Lucky Patcher in Android Apps, use registerReceiver in the Application OnCreate, and the code samples for Threat-Events™ for Lucky Patcher shown below.

The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for Lucky Patcher are:

Threat-Event™ Elements Block Lucky Patcher Method Detail
Appdome Feature Name Root Detection
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 Blocking Lucky Patcher Threat-Event™
Threat-Event NAME RootedDevice
Threat-Event DATA reasonData
Threat-Event CODE reasonCode
Threat-Event REF 6109
Threat-Event SCORE
currentThreatEventScore Current Threat-Event score
threatEventsScore Total Threat-events score
Threat-Event Context Keys
message Message displayed for the user on event
failSafeEnforce Timed enforcement against the identified threat
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
buildDate Appdome fusion date of the current application
devicePlatform OS name of the current device
carrierName Carrier name of the current device. Only available for Android.
updatedOSVersion Is the OS version up to date
deviceBrand Brand of the device
deviceBoard Board of the device
buildUser Build user
buildHost Build host
sdkVersion Sdk version
timeZone Time zone
deviceFaceDown Is the device face down
locationLong Location longitude conditioned by location permission
locationLat Location latitude conditioned by location permission
locationState Location state conditioned by location permission
wifiSsid Wifi SSID
wifiSsidPermissionStatus Wifi SSID permission status
internalError Internal error code as hex
extendedMessageText Internal error code
rInternalErrorCode Internal error code
reason Reason for the root detection

With Threat-Events™ enabled (turned ON), Android developers can get detailed attack intelligence and granular defense control in Android applications and create amazing user experiences for all mobile end users when Lucky Patcher is detected.


The following is a code sample for native Android apps, which uses all values in the specification above for Root Detection:


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.



Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured Android Apps by using Root Detection. 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 Root Detection

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:

Related Articles:

 

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.

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