How to Use External Seed in Android & iOS Encryption Key

Last updated March 17, 2024 by Appdome

Learn to Initialize a pseudo or random number generator in Mobile apps, in mobile CI/CD with a Data-Driven DevSecOps™ build system.

What is an External Seed for Data at Rest Encryption?

An external seed for Data at Rest Encryption is a number used to initialize a pseudo or random number generator for creating the encryption keys utilized in Data at Rest encryption for mobile apps.

How does Appdome Implement External Seed for Data at Rest Encryption?

Appdome provides in-App Generated Seed for Data at Rest Encryption. This feature  allows developers or other mobility, security or IT professionals to seed Appdome’s data at rest capabilities with an external secret, derived from a backend server or from user input. This results in the derivation of a unique encryption key. The Data at Rest encryption key will be seeded via Appdome Dev-Events.  With DEV-Events you can use Appdome to handle in apps events and seed you key internally.

For details, see external seed on native apps.

Prerequisites for Using Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed:

To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Initialize a pseudo or random number generator , you’ll need:

Initialize a pseudo or random number generator on Mobile apps using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending Mobile Apps that Initialize a pseudo or random number generator 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. Mobile App Formats: .ipa for iOS, or .apk or .aab for Android
    4. Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed Compatible With: Obj-C, C+, Java, JS, C#, C++, Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, and more
  2. Build the feature: Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed.

    1. Building Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed by using Appdome’s DEV-API:

      1. Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed feature as shown below:
      2. fusion set that contains Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed

        Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed 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 Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed feature via Appdome Console, to add the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed 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, as shown in Figure 1 above, and get 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, 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 Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed feature via Appdome Console

      To build the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed protection by using Appdome Console, follow the instructions below.

      1. Where: Inside the Appdome Console, go to Build > Security Tab > TOTALData™ Encryption section.
      2. When you select the Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed you'll notice that your Fusion Set you created in step 2.1.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed

        Fusion Set applied Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed

        Figure 4: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed protection

      3. Click Build My App at the bottom of the Build Workflow (shown in Figure 3).
    Congratulations!  The Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed protection is now added to the mobile app

Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured Mobile Apps by using Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed. 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 Data at Rest Encryption > In-App Generated Seed

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:

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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