How to Protect iOS Apps With App Instance ID Using AI

Last updated June 8, 2026 by Appdome

This Knowledge Base article describes how to use Appdome’s AI in your CI/CD pipeline to continuously deliver plugins that Use App Instance ID in iOS apps.

What Is an App Instance ID?

App Instance ID is an IDAnchor identifier that uniquely represents a specific installation of an application on a specific device. Unlike identifiers that may change during application updates, the App Instance ID is preserved across updates and is regenerated only when the application is uninstalled and reinstalled. This provides a stable per-install identifier throughout the lifecycle of a given app installation.

How Appdome Protects iOS Apps With App Instance ID?

Appdome generates the App Instance ID deterministically from installation-specific data that is preserved across application updates and removed when the application is uninstalled. As a result, the same App Instance ID is generated on every launch until the application is reinstalled.

When App Instance ID is enabled in IDAnchor, the identifier is included in the IDAnchor payload alongside other IDAnchor identifiers.

Prerequisites for Using Appdome's App Instance ID Plugins:

To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Use App Instance ID , you’ll need:

Appdome account (create a free Appdome account here)
A license for App Instance ID
Mobile App (.ipa for iOS)
Signing Credentials (see Signing Secure Android apps and Signing Secure iOS apps)

How to Implement Use App Instance ID in iOS Apps Using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending iOS Apps that Use App Instance ID without an SDK or gateway:

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. iOS Formats: .ipa
3. App Instance ID is compatible with: Obj-C, Java, Swift, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, Cordova and other iOS apps.
Select the defense: App Instance ID.

Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the App Instance ID feature as shown below:

Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the App Instance ID feature

Follow the steps in Sections 2.2-2.2.2 of this article to add the App Instance ID feature to your Fusion Set via the Appdome Console.

When you select the App Instance ID you'll notice that the Fusion Set you created in step 2.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains App Instance ID.

Figure 2: Fusion Set that displays the newly added App Instance ID protection
Note: Annotating the Fusion Set to identify the protection(s) selected is optional only (not mandatory).

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):

Figure 3: Fusion Set Detail Summary

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:

Refer to the Appdome API Reference Guide for API building instructions.

Look for sample APIs in Appdome’s GitHub Repository.

Add the App Instance ID feature to your security template.

Navigate to Build > IDAnchor tab > iOS IDAnchor section in the Appdome Console.
Like all other options in ONEShield™, App Instance ID is turned on by default, as shown below:
Figure 4: Selecting App Instance ID
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.

Toggle On > App Instance ID.

Figure 4: Selecting Use App Instance ID
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.

Configure the User Experience Options for App Instance ID:
With Threat-Events™ OFF, Appdome provides several user experience options for mobile brands and developers.

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.

Short message Option. This is available for mobile devices that allow a banner notification for security events.

Localized Message Option. Allows Appdome users to support global languages in security notifications.

Figure 5: Default User Experience Options for Appdome’s App Instance ID

App Instance ID Threat Code™. Appdome uses AI to generate a unique code each time App Instance ID 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.

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 App Instance ID protection is now added to the mobile app

Certify the App Instance ID feature in iOS Apps

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

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 App Instance ID has been added to each iOS app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that App Instance ID and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app.

Using Threat-Events™ for App Instance ID Intelligence and Control in iOS Apps

Appdome Threat-Events™ provides consumable in-app mobile app attack intelligence and defense control when App Instance ID is detected. To consume and use Threat-Events™ for App Instance ID in iOS Apps, use AddObserverForName in Notification Center, and the code samples for Threat-Events™ for App Instance ID shown below.

The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for App Instance ID are:

Threat-Event™ Elements Use App Instance ID Method Detail

Appdome Feature Name App Instance ID

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 Using App Instance ID Threat-Event™

Threat-Event NAME

Threat-Event DATA reasonData

Threat-Event CODE reasonCode

Threat-Event SCORE
currentThreatEventScore Current Threat-Event score

threatEventsScore Total Threat-events score

Threat-Event Context Keys

Timestamp The exact time the threat event was triggered, recorded in milliseconds since epoch

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.

deviceID Current device ID

reasonCode Reason code of the occurred event

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), 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 Instance ID is detected.

The following is a code sample for native iOS apps, which uses all values in the specification above for App Instance ID:

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.

let center = NotificationCenter.default center.addObserver(forName: Notification.Name(""), 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 // Current threat event score let currentThreatEventScore = usrInf["currentThreatEventScore"]; // Total threat events score let threatEventsScore = usrInf["threatEventsScore"]; // Replace '' with your specific event context key // let variable = usrInf[""]; // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }

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let center = NotificationCenter.default
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center.addObserver(forName: Notification.Name(""), object: nil, queue: nil) { (note) in
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guard let usrInf = note.userInfo else {
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return
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}
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let message = usrInf["message"]; // Message shown to the user
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let reasonData = usrInf["reasonData"]; // Threat detection cause
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let reasonCode = usrInf["reasonCode"]; // Event reason code
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// Current threat event score
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let currentThreatEventScore = usrInf["currentThreatEventScore"];
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// Total threat events score
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let threatEventsScore = usrInf["threatEventsScore"];
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// let variable = usrInf["<Context Key>"];
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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}

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserverForName: @"" object:nil queue:nil usingBlock:^(NSNotification *org_note) { __block NSNotification *note = org_note; dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^(void) { // Message shown to the user NSString *message = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"message"]; // Threat detection cause NSString *reasonData = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"reasonData"]; // Event reason code NSString *reasonCode = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"reasonCode"]; // Current threat event score NSString *currentThreatEventScore = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"currentThreatEventScore"]; // Total threat events score NSString *threatEventsScore = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"threatEventsScore"]; // Replace '' with your specific event context key // NSString *variable = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@""]; // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }); }];

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[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserverForName: @"" object:nil queue:nil usingBlock:^(NSNotification *org_note) {
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__block NSNotification *note = org_note;
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dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^(void) {
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// Message shown to the user
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NSString *message = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"message"];
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// Threat detection cause
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NSString *reasonData = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"reasonData"];
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// Event reason code
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NSString *reasonCode = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"reasonCode"];
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// Current threat event score
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NSString *currentThreatEventScore = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"currentThreatEventScore"];
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// Total threat events score
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NSString *threatEventsScore = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"threatEventsScore"];
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// NSString *variable = [[note userInfo] objectForKey:@"<Context Key>"];
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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});
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}];

const { ADDevEvents } = NativeModules; const aDDevEvents = new NativeEventEmitter(ADDevEvents); function registerToDevEvent(action, callback) { NativeModules.ADDevEvents.registerForDevEvent(action); aDDevEvents.addListener(action, callback); } export function registerToAllEvents() { registerToDevEvent( "", (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 // Current threat event score var currentThreatEventScore = userinfo["currentThreatEventScore"] // Total threat events score var threatEventsScore = userinfo["threatEventsScore"] // Replace '' with your specific event context key // var variable = userinfo[""] // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) ); }

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const { ADDevEvents } = NativeModules;
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const aDDevEvents = new NativeEventEmitter(ADDevEvents);
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function registerToDevEvent(action, callback) {
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NativeModules.ADDevEvents.registerForDevEvent(action);
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aDDevEvents.addListener(action, callback);
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}
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export function registerToAllEvents() {
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registerToDevEvent(
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"",
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(userinfo) => Alert.alert(JSON.stringify(userinfo))
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var message = userinfo["message"] // Message shown to the user
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var reasonData = userinfo["reasonData"] // Threat detection cause
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var reasonCode = userinfo["reasonCode"] // Event reason code
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// Current threat event score
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var currentThreatEventScore = userinfo["currentThreatEventScore"]
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// Total threat events score
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var threatEventsScore = userinfo["threatEventsScore"]
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// var variable = userinfo["<Context Key>"]
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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);
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}

RegisterReceiver(new ThreatEventReceiver(), new IntentFilter("")); 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 // Current threat event score String currentThreatEventScore = intent.GetStringExtra("currentThreatEventScore"); // Total threat events score String threatEventsScore = intent.GetStringExtra("threatEventsScore"); // Replace '' with your specific event context key // String variable = intent.GetStringExtra(""); // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) } }

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RegisterReceiver(new ThreatEventReceiver(), new IntentFilter(""));
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class ThreatEventReceiver : BroadcastReceiver
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{
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public override void OnReceive(Context context, Intent intent)
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{
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// Message shown to the user
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String message = intent.GetStringExtra("message");
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// Threat detection cause
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String reasonData = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonData");
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// Event reason code
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String reasonCode = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonCode");
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// Current threat event score
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String currentThreatEventScore = intent.GetStringExtra("currentThreatEventScore");
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// Total threat events score
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String threatEventsScore = intent.GetStringExtra("threatEventsScore");
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// String variable = intent.GetStringExtra("<Context Key>");
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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}
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}

NSNotificationCenter.DefaultCenter.AddObserver( (NSString)"", // Threat-Event Identifier delegate (NSNotification notification) { // Message shown to the user var message = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("message"); // Threat detection cause var reasonData = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("reasonData"); // Event reason code var reasonCode = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("reasonCode"); // Current threat event score var currentThreatEventScore = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("currentThreatEventScore"); // Total threat events score var threatEventsScore = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("threatEventsScore"); // Replace '' with your specific event context key // var variable = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey(""); // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) } );

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NSNotificationCenter.DefaultCenter.AddObserver(
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(NSString)"", // Threat-Event Identifier
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delegate (NSNotification notification)
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{
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// Message shown to the user
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var message = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("message");
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// Threat detection cause
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var reasonData = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("reasonData");
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// Event reason code
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var reasonCode = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("reasonCode");
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// Current threat event score
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var currentThreatEventScore = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("currentThreatEventScore");
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// Total threat events score
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var threatEventsScore = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("threatEventsScore");
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// var variable = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("<Context Keys>");
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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}
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);

window.broadcaster.addEventListener("", 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 // Current threat event score var currentThreatEventScore = userInfo.currentThreatEventScore // Total threat events score var threatEventsScore = userInfo.threatEventsScore // Replace '' with your specific event context key // var variable = userInfo. // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) });

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window.broadcaster.addEventListener("", function(userInfo) {
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var message = userInfo.message // Message shown to the user
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var reasonData = userInfo.reasonData // Threat detection cause
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var reasonCode = userInfo.reasonCode // Event reason code
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// Current threat event score
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var currentThreatEventScore = userInfo.currentThreatEventScore
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// Total threat events score
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var threatEventsScore = userInfo.threatEventsScore
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// var variable = userInfo.<Context Keys>
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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});

import 'dart:async'; import 'package:flutter/material.dart'; import 'package:flutter/services.dart'; class PlatformChannel extends StatefulWidget { const PlatformChannel({super.key}); @override State createState() => _PlatformChannelState(); } class _PlatformChannelState extends State { // Replace with your EventChannel name static const String _eventChannelName = ""; static const EventChannel _eventChannel = EventChannel(_eventChannelName); @override void initState() { super.initState(); _eventChannel.receiveBroadcastStream().listen(_onEvent, onError: _onError); } void _onEvent(Object? event) { setState(() { // Adapt this section based on your specific event data structure var eventData = event as Map; // Example: Accessing 'externalID' field from the event var externalID = eventData['externalID']; // Customize the rest of the fields based on your event structure String message = eventData['message']; // Message shown to the user String reasonData = eventData['reasonData']; // Threat detection cause String reasonCode = eventData['reasonCode']; // Event reason code // Current threat event score String currentThreatEventScore = eventData['currentThreatEventScore']; // Total threat events score String threatEventsScore = eventData['threatEventsScore']; // Replace '' with your specific event context key // String variable = eventData['']; }); } // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }

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import 'dart:async';
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import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
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import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
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class PlatformChannel extends StatefulWidget {
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const PlatformChannel({super.key});
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@override
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State<PlatformChannel> createState() => _PlatformChannelState();
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}
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class _PlatformChannelState extends State<PlatformChannel> {
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// Replace with your EventChannel name
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static const String _eventChannelName = "";
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static const EventChannel _eventChannel = EventChannel(_eventChannelName);
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@override
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void initState() {
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super.initState();
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_eventChannel.receiveBroadcastStream().listen(_onEvent, onError: _onError);
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}
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void _onEvent(Object? event) {
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setState(() {
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// Adapt this section based on your specific event data structure
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var eventData = event as Map;
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// Example: Accessing 'externalID' field from the event
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var externalID = eventData['externalID'];
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// Customize the rest of the fields based on your event structure
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String message = eventData['message']; // Message shown to the user
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String reasonData = eventData['reasonData']; // Threat detection cause
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String reasonCode = eventData['reasonCode']; // Event reason code
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// Current threat event score
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String currentThreatEventScore = eventData['currentThreatEventScore'];
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// Total threat events score
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String threatEventsScore = eventData['threatEventsScore'];
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// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
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// String variable = eventData['<Context Keys>'];
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});
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}
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// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
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}

Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured iOS Apps by using App Instance ID. 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 App Instance ID

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.

Related Articles:

How to Protect iOS Apps With IDAnchor Using AI

How to Protect Android Apps With IDAnchor Using AI

How to Protect Mobile Apps With Mobile Device ID Using AI

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.

How to Protect iOS Apps With App Instance ID Using AI

What Is an App Instance ID?

How Appdome Protects iOS Apps With App Instance ID?

Prerequisites for Using Appdome's App Instance ID Plugins:

How to Implement Use App Instance ID in iOS Apps Using Appdome

Designate the Mobile App to be protected.

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

Select the defense: App Instance ID.

Add the App Instance ID feature to your security template.

Certify the App Instance ID feature in iOS Apps

Using Threat-Events™ for App Instance ID Intelligence and Control in iOS Apps

Related Articles:

How Do I Learn More?

Thank you!

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Overheard at RSAC 2026: The Mobile Security Risks Keeping Teams Up at Night

Threat-Event™ Elements	Use App Instance ID Method Detail
Appdome Feature Name	App Instance ID
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 Using App Instance ID Threat-Event™
Threat-Event NAME
Threat-Event DATA	reasonData
Threat-Event CODE	reasonCode
Threat-Event SCORE
currentThreatEventScore	Current Threat-Event score
threatEventsScore	Total Threat-events score

Threat-Event Context Keys
Timestamp	The exact time the threat event was triggered, recorded in milliseconds since epoch
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.
deviceID	Current device ID
reasonCode	Reason code of the occurred event
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.