How to Detect Remote Desktop Interactions in Android Apps Using AI
This Knowledge Base article describes how to use Appdome’s AI in your CI/CD pipeline to continuously deliver plugins that Detect Remote Desktop Interactions in Android apps.
What Are Remote Desktop Interactions?
Remote Desktop Interactions can exploit Android Accessibility Services, designed to assist users with disabilities, to gain unauthorized control over devices. Attackers use malicious apps to trick users into granting accessibility permissions, enabling them to monitor and interact with the device remotely. These permissions allow attackers to record keystrokes, view sensitive data, and manipulate app or device behavior without user awareness. Such attacks can lead to data breaches, account takeovers, and fraudulent transactions. Detecting suspicious remote desktop Interactions is essential for protecting sensitive data, preventing unauthorized access, and complying with data protection standards like GDPR.
How Appdome Protects Android Apps From Remote Desktop Interactions
Appdome’s dynamic Detect Remote Desktop Interactions plugin monitors Android apps for unauthorized use of accessibility services by analyzing permission requests and app behaviors in real time. It identifies and blocks malicious apps exploiting these services for remote control, keystroke recording, or data access. Developers can leverage Appdome’s Threat-Events™ to gather insights on accessibility service threats and create custom responses, ensuring comprehensive security without disrupting legitimate accessibility features.
Prerequisites for Using Appdome's Detect Remote Desktop Interactions Plugins:
To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Detect Remote Desktop Interactions , you’ll need:
- Appdome account (create a free Appdome account here)
- A license for Detect Remote Desktop Interactions
- Mobile App (.apk or .aab for Android)
- Signing Credentials (see Signing Secure Android apps and Signing Secure iOS apps)
How to Implement Detect Remote Desktop Interactions in Android Apps Using Appdome
On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending Android Apps that Detect Remote Desktop Interactions without an SDK or gateway:
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Designate the Mobile App to be protected.
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Upload an app via the Appdome Mobile Defense platform GUI or via Appdome’s DEV-API or CI/CD Plugins.
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Android Formats: .apk or .aab
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Detect Remote Desktop Interactions is compatible with: Java, JS, C++, C#, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, Cordova and other Android apps.
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Select the defense: Detect Remote Desktop Interactions.
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Follow the steps in Sections 2.2-2.2.2 of this article to add the Detect Remote Desktop Interactions feature to your Fusion Set via the Appdome Console.
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When you enable Prevent Remote Desktop Scam you'll notice that the Fusion Set you created in step 2.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Detect Remote Desktop Interactions.
Figure 2: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Detect Remote Desktop Interactions 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
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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:
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Refer to the Appdome API Reference Guide for API building instructions.
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Look for sample APIs in Appdome’s GitHub Repository.
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Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Detect Remote Desktop Interactions feature as shown below:
Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Detect Remote Desktop Interactions feature
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Add the Detect Remote Desktop Interactions feature to your security template.
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Navigate to Build > Anti ATO tab > Social Engineering Prevention section in the Appdome Console.
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Toggle On Prevent Remote Desktop Scam > Detect Remote Desktop Interactions.
(a) Choose to monitor this attack vector by checking the Threat Events checkbox associated with Detect Remote Desktop Interactions as shown below.
(b) To receive mobile Threat Monitoring, check the ThreatScope™ box as shown below. For more details, see our knowledge base article on ThreatScope™ Mobile XTM.
Figure 4: Selecting Detect Remote Desktop Interactions
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Select the Threat-Event™ in-app mobile Threat Defense and Intelligence policy for Detect Remote Desktop Interactions:
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Threat-Events™ OFF > In-App Defense
If the Threat-Events™ setting is not selected. Appdome will detect and defend user and app by enforcing Detect Remote Desktop Interactions.
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Threat-Events™ ON > In-App Detection
When this setting is used, Appdome detects the existence of Remote Desktop Interactions 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 Detect Remote Desktop Interactions 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 Remote Desktop Interactions (same as Appdome Enforce) and passes Appdome’s Threat-Event™ attack intelligence to 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 Detect Remote Desktop Interactions Intelligence and Control in Mobile Apps.
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- Extra Configuration with Detect Remote Desktop Interactions:
- App Compromise Notification
The message that will be shown to the user when the event is detected. The app will automatically exit.
- Localized Messages
Upload file CSV or JSON for the localized compromise notification message. Key/left column locale e.g. en_US, Value/right column the localized message.
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Congratulations! The Detect Remote Desktop Interactions protection is now added to the mobile app -
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Certify the Detect Remote Desktop Interactions feature in Android Apps
After building Detect Remote Desktop Interactions, Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the Detect Remote Desktop Interactions protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the Detect Remote Desktop Interactions 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 Detect Remote Desktop Interactions has been added to each Android app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Detect Remote Desktop Interactions and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app.
Using Threat-Events™ for Remote Desktop Interactions Intelligence and Control in Android Apps
Appdome Threat-Events™ provides consumable in-app mobile app attack intelligence and defense control when Remote Desktop Interactions are detected. To consume and use Threat-Events™ for Remote Desktop Interactions in Android Apps, use registerReceiver in the Application OnCreate, and the code samples for Threat-Events™ for Remote Desktop Interactions shown below.
The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for Remote Desktop Interactions are:
| Threat-Event™ Elements | Detect Remote Desktop Interactions Method Detail |
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| Appdome Feature Name | Detect Remote Desktop Interactions |
| 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 Detecting Remote Desktop Interactions Threat-Event™ | |
| serviceName | Remote desktop accessibility service |
| Threat-Event NAME | IllegalAccessibilityServiceEvent |
| Threat-Event DATA | reasonData |
| Threat-Event CODE | reasonCode |
| Threat-Event REF | 6926-A |
| 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. |
| 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 Remote Desktop Interactions are detected.
The following is a code sample for native Android apps, which uses all values in the specification above for Detect Remote Desktop Interactions:
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.
xxxxxxxxxxIntentFilter intentFilter = new IntentFilter();intentFilter.addAction("IllegalAccessibilityServiceEvent");BroadcastReceiver threatEventReceiver = new BroadcastReceiver() { public 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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // String variable = intent.getStringExtra("<Context Key>"); // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }};if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.TIRAMISU) { registerReceiver(threatEventReceiver, intentFilter, Context.RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED);} else { registerReceiver(threatEventReceiver, intentFilter);}xxxxxxxxxxval intentFilter = IntentFilter()intentFilter.addAction("IllegalAccessibilityServiceEvent")val threatEventReceiver = object : BroadcastReceiver() { override fun onReceive(context: Context?, intent: Intent?) { var message = intent?.getStringExtra("message") // Message shown to the user var reasonData = intent?.getStringExtra("reasonData") // Threat detection cause var reasonCode = intent?.getStringExtra("reasonCode") // Event reason code // Current threat event score var currentThreatEventScore = intent?.getStringExtra("currentThreatEventScore") // Total threat events score var threatEventsScore = intent?.getStringExtra("threatEventsScore") // Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // var variable = intent?.getStringExtra("<Context Key>") // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }}if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.TIRAMISU) { registerReceiver(threatEventReceiver, intentFilter, Context.RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED)} else { registerReceiver(threatEventReceiver, intentFilter)}xxxxxxxxxxconst { ADDevEvents } = NativeModules;const aDDevEvents = new NativeEventEmitter(ADDevEvents);function registerToDevEvent(action, callback) { NativeModules.ADDevEvents.registerForDevEvent(action); aDDevEvents.addListener(action, callback);}export function registerToAllEvents() { registerToDevEvent( "IllegalAccessibilityServiceEvent", (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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // var variable = userinfo["<Context Key>"] // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) );}x
RegisterReceiver(new ThreatEventReceiver(), new IntentFilter("IllegalAccessibilityServiceEvent")); class ThreatEventReceiver : BroadcastReceiver{ public override void OnReceive(Context context, Intent intent) { // Message shown to the user String message = intent.GetStringExtra("message"); // Threat detection cause String reasonData = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonData"); // Event reason code String reasonCode = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonCode"); // Current threat event score String currentThreatEventScore = intent.GetStringExtra("currentThreatEventScore"); // Total threat events score String threatEventsScore = intent.GetStringExtra("threatEventsScore"); // Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // String variable = intent.GetStringExtra("<Context Key>"); // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) }}x
NSNotificationCenter.DefaultCenter.AddObserver( (NSString)"IllegalAccessibilityServiceEvent", // 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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // var variable = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("<Context Keys>"); // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...) });xxxxxxxxxxwindow.broadcaster.addEventListener("IllegalAccessibilityServiceEvent", 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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // var variable = userInfo.<Context Keys> // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)});x
import 'dart:async';import 'package:flutter/material.dart';import 'package:flutter/services.dart';class PlatformChannel extends StatefulWidget { const PlatformChannel({super.key}); State<PlatformChannel> createState() => _PlatformChannelState();}class _PlatformChannelState extends State<PlatformChannel> { // Replace with your EventChannel name static const String _eventChannelName = "IllegalAccessibilityServiceEvent"; static const EventChannel _eventChannel = EventChannel(_eventChannelName); 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 '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key // String variable = eventData['<Context Keys>']; }); } // Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)}Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured Android Apps by using Detect Remote Desktop Interactions. 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 Remote Desktop Interactions
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 Block SSL Pinning Bypass in Android Apps
- Testing Anti Remote Desktop Scam for Android in AnyDesk
- Testing Anti Remote Desktop Scam for iOS in Zoom
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.