How to Prevent Logging Attacks (Log4J) in Android Apps

Learn to Prevent Logging Attacks in Android apps, in mobile CI/CD with a Data-Driven DevSecOps™ build system.

What are Logging Attacks?

Logging utilities, such as the popular Apache Log4j, simplify debugging. Recent critical vulnerabilities exposed that the utility can be used for remote code execution and denial of service. The default configuration of Apache Log4j supports JNDI (Java Naming and Directory Interface) lookups that can be exploited to exfiltrate data or execute arbitrary code via remote services such as LDAP, RMI, and DNS.

Why Prevent Logging Attacks in Android Apps?

The Apache Log4j vulnerability is potentially present in Java servers in mobile apps that use Cordova, React Native, or any app that uses java classes. By using Prevent Logging Attacks, Android log function calls are disabled. This prevents any data leakage and any attacks via logging infrastructure (for example, log4j).

Prerequisites for Using Prevent Logging Attacks:

To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Prevent Logging Attacks , you’ll need:

• Appdome account (create a free Appdome account here)
• A license for Prevent Logging Attacks
• Mobile App (.apk or .aab for Android)
• Signing Credentials (see Signing Secure Android apps and Signing Secure iOS apps)

Prevent Logging Attacks on Android apps using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending Android Apps that Prevent Logging Attacks 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. Prevent Logging Attacks Compatible With: Java, JS, C++, C#, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, Cordova and other Android apps

2. Build the feature: Prevent Logging Attacks.

   1. Building Prevent Logging Attacks by using Appdome’s DEV-API:

      1. Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Prevent Logging Attacks feature as shown below:
      

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

      2. Follow the steps in Sections 2.2.1-2.2.2 of this article, Building the Prevent Logging Attacks feature via Appdome Console, to add the Prevent Logging Attacks feature to this Fusion Set.

      3. 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).

      4. 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:

         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 Prevent Logging Attacks feature via Appdome Console

      To build the Prevent Logging Attacks protection by using Appdome Console, follow the instructions below.

      1. Where: Inside the Appdome Console, go to Build > Anti Fraud Tab > Mobile Malware Prevention section.

         Like all other options in ONEShield™, Prevent Logging Attacks is turned on by default, as shown below:

         Figure 3: Prevent Logging Attacks 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.

      2. How: Toggle (turn ON) Prevent Logging Attacks, 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 Logging Attacks.

         Figure 3: Prevent Logging Attacks 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 Prevent Logging Attacks you'll notice that your Fusion Set you created in step 2.1.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Prevent Logging Attacks

         

         Figure 4: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Prevent Logging Attacks protection

      4. Click Build My App at the bottom of the Build Workflow (shown in Figure 3).

   Congratulations!  The Prevent Logging Attacks protection is now added to the mobile app

3. Certify the Prevent Logging Attacks feature in Android Apps.

   After building Prevent Logging Attacks, Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the Prevent Logging Attacks protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the Prevent Logging Attacks 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 Prevent Logging Attacks has been added to each Android app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Prevent Logging Attacks and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app