How to Detect ADB Exploits by Event in Android Apps Using AI

Last updated July 13, 2025 by Appdome

This Knowledge Base article describes how to use Appdome’s AI in your CI/CD pipeline to continuously deliver plugins that Detect ADB by Event in Android apps.

What is Detect ADB by Event?

Detect ADB by Event gives mobile apps more visibility into how Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is being used. ADB is a tool meant for developers, but attackers use it to run commands, control devices, or inject fake input into apps. These actions are difficult to detect because they often mimic real user behavior and can be triggered remotely using AI bots or malware. Enabling this feature adds rich metadata to Threat-Events™, helping mobile teams find and stop specific types of ADB abuse that can lead to fraud, data theft, or app manipulation. These signals include:

  • Active Wireless ADB – ADB is running over Wi-Fi, allowing remote access to the device without a USB cable.
  • Active USB Cable – A physical USB connection is active, enabling ADB access from a connected computer.
  • Active ADB Server – The ADB service is running on the device, ready to accept commands.
  • Injected Key Event – Unauthorized keystrokes are injected to simulate user input, often used by ClickBots or automated attack tools.
  • Injected Gesture – Fake touch or swipe gestures are injected to mimic user interaction, commonly used in UI automation attacks.

How Appdome Protects Android Apps Against Malicious Abuse of ADB

Appdome’s dynamic Detect ADB by Event plugin for Android enriches ADB-related Threat-Events™ with metadata on wireless ADB, USB cable usage, running ADB servers, and injected inputs like key events and gestures. The plugin runs in real time and detects these threats during app execution. Developers can use Appdome’s Threat-Events™ to collect this data and create custom responses based on the exact type of ADB activity detected.

Prerequisites for Using Appdome's Detect ADB by Event Plugins:

To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Detect ADB by Event , you’ll need:

How to Implement Detect ADB by Event in Android Apps Using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending Android Apps that Detect ADB by Event without an SDK or gateway:

  1. Designate the Mobile App to be protected.

    1. Upload an app via the Appdome Mobile Defense platform GUI or via Appdome’s DEV-API or CI/CD Plugins.

    2. Android Formats: .apk or .aab
    3. Detect ADB by Event is compatible with: Java, JS, C++, C#, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, Cordova and other Android apps.
  2. Select the defense: Detect ADB by Event.

      1. Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Detect ADB by Event feature as shown below:
        fusion set that contains Detect ADB by Event

        Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Detect ADB by Event feature

      2. Follow the steps in Sections 2.2-2.2.2 of this article to add the Detect ADB by Event feature to your Fusion Set via the Appdome Console.

      3. When you enable Detect Android Debug Bridge (ADB) you'll notice that the Fusion Set you created in step 2.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Detect ADB by Event.

        Fusion Set applied Detect ADB by Event

        Figure 2: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Detect ADB by Event protection
        Note: Annotating the Fusion Set to identify the protection(s) selected is optional only (not mandatory).

      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 3: Fusion Set Detail Summary

      5. 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:
        1. Refer to the Appdome API Reference Guide for API building instructions.
        2. Look for sample APIs in Appdome’s GitHub Repository.
    1. Add the Detect ADB by Event feature to your security template.

      1. Navigate to Build > Anti Fraud tab > Mobile Fraud Detection section in the Appdome Console.
      2. Toggle On Detect Android Debug Bridge (ADB) > Detect ADB by Event.
        Detect ADB by Event option

        Figure 4: Selecting Detect ADB by Event

        Note: The Appdome Platform displays the Mobile Operation Systems supported by each defense in real-time. For more details, see our OS Support Policy KB.

      3. Configure the User Experience Options for Detect ADB by Event:
        With Threat-Events™ OFF, Appdome provides several user experience options for mobile brands and developers.
        1. App Compromise Notification: Customize the pop-up or toast Appdome uses to notify the user when a threat is present while using the protected mobile app.
        2. Short message Option. This is available for mobile devices that allow a banner notification for security events.
        3. Localized Message Option. Allows Appdome users to support global languages in security notifications.

          Localized Message

          Figure 5: Default User Experience Options for Appdome’s ADB by Event

        4. Detect ADB by Event Threat Code™. Appdome uses AI to generate a unique code each time Detect ADB by Event is triggered by an active threat on the mobile device. Use the code in Appdome Threat Resolution Center™ to help end users identify, find and resolve active threats on the personal mobile devices.
    2. Initiate the build command either by clicking Build My App at the bottom of the Build Workflow (shown in Figure 4) or via your CI/CD as described in Section 2.1.4.
    Congratulations!  The Detect ADB by Event protection is now added to the mobile app
  3. Certify the Detect ADB by Event feature in Android Apps

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

    Figure 6: 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 Detect ADB by Event has been added to each Android app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Detect ADB by Event and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app.

Using Threat-Events™ for ADB by Event Intelligence and Control in Android Apps

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

The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for ADB by Event are:

Threat-Event™ Elements Detect ADB by Event Method Detail
Appdome Feature Name Detect ADB by Event
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 Detecting ADB by Event Threat-Event™
Threat-Event NAME
Threat-Event DATA reasonData
Threat-Event CODE reasonCode
Threat-Event REF
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
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), 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 ADB by Event is detected.


The following is a code sample for native Android apps, which uses all values in the specification above for Detect ADB by Event:


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 Detect ADB by Event. 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 Detect ADB by Event

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 to Sideload Secured Android Apps using ADB

How to Block Second Space in Android Apps

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.

Want a Demo?

Know Your Customer

TomWe're here to help
We'll get back to you in 24 hours to schedule your demo.

Search Appdome Solutions

Search