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How to Use iOS Memory Protection to Defeat Memory Editing in iOS apps

Last updated June 12, 2023 by Appdome

Learn to Protect memory editing in iOS apps, in mobile CI/CD with a Data-Driven DevSecOps™ build system.

What is iOS memory protection?

Using Appdome iOS Memory Protection, iOS mobile app and game developers can secure the data stored in RAM by protecting the data while the app is being used. iOS Memory Protection secures app-specific data stored in the application’s memory during runtime. This prevents malicious actors from accessing or attempting to modify the application’s memory in order to cheat in games, steal user information, or modify mobile app functionality, logic or behavior while the app is being used.

Appdome is a no-code mobile app security platform designed to add security features, like iOS Memory Protection to any iOS app without coding. This KB shows mobile developers, DevSec and security professionals how to use Appdome’s simple ‘click to build’ user interface to quickly and easily protect app-specific data in iOS apps.

Why Protect memory editing in iOS Apps?

In order to function, every mobile app needs to store many different kinds of data in memory (RAM) while the application is being used. This can include user data, strings including credentials, passwords, or keys, and other application-specific data, such as mobile game values, scores, in-app purchase data and more. Cybercriminals often target a running application’s memory and attempt to harvest, access or modify data while it is transiently stored in memory, for example by dumping the application memory while the data is in use. The sensitive memory might be saved to disk, stored in a core dump, or remain uncleared if the application crashes, or if the programmer does not properly clear the memory before freeing it.

Prerequisites for Using iOS Memory Protection:

To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Protect memory editing , you’ll need:

Protect memory editing on iOS apps using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending iOS Apps that Protect memory editing 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. iOS Formats: .ipa
    4. iOS Memory Protection Compatible With: Obj-C, C+, Java, Swift, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, Cordova and more

  2. Build the feature: iOS Memory Protection.

    1. Building iOS Memory Protection by using Appdome’s DEV-API:

      1. Create and name the Fusion Set (security template) that will contain the iOS Memory Protection feature as shown below:
        2. fusion set that contains iOS Memory Protection

        Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the iOS Memory Protection 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 iOS Memory Protection feature via Appdome Console, to add the iOS Memory Protection 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): 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).

      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 iOS Memory Protection feature via Appdome Console

      To build the iOS Memory Protection protection by using Appdome Console, follow the instructions below.

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

      2. When you select the iOS Memory Protection you'll notice that your Fusion Set you created in step 2.1.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains iOS Memory Protection

        Fusion Set applied iOS Memory Protection

        Figure 4: Fusion Set that displays the newly added iOS Memory Protection protection

      3. Click Build My App at the bottom of the Build Workflow (shown in Figure 3).
    Congratulations!  The iOS Memory Protection protection is now added to the mobile app

Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured iOS Apps by using iOS Memory Protection. 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 iOS Memory Protection

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:

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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