How to Prevent Binary Modification in Android & iOS apps

Last updated November 22, 2023 by Appdome

Learn to Prevent Binary Modification in Mobile apps, in mobile CI/CD with a Data-Driven DevSecOps™ build system.

What is Binary Modification?

Binary modification refers to the process of altering the content of binary files. Binary files are non-text files, and control most of how the app looks and feels. Binary files can be compiled code, images, audio, video, plus any other format used in the code. Modification of these files involves changing some part of the binary file or replacing it by another file. This can result in altering the behavior or appearance of the app, sometimes in a way the human eye won’t easily notice.

Why Prevent Binary Modification?

Preventing binary modification is vital to maintain the integrity, appearance, and functionality of mobile applications. Such alterations can drastically change an app’s look, feel, and core operations, leading to unexpected results. For instance, binary modification can introduce software crashes, embed malicious code, or alter the graphical interface, making it unfamiliar or even unusable to its regular users. Safeguarding against these changes ensures a consistent and secure user experience.

 

Prerequisites for Using Prevent Binary Modification:

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

Prevent Binary Modification on Mobile apps using Appdome

On Appdome, follow these simple steps to create self-defending Mobile Apps that Prevent Binary Modification 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. Prevent Binary Modification Compatible With: Obj-C, Java, JS, C#, C++, Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, and more
  2. Build the feature: Prevent Binary Modification.

    1. Building Prevent Binary Modification by using Appdome’s DEV-API:

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

        Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Prevent Binary Modification 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 Prevent Binary Modification feature via Appdome Console, to add the Prevent Binary Modification 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. Copy 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, Circle 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 Binary Modification feature via Appdome Console

      To build the Prevent Binary Modification protection by using Appdome Console, follow the instructions below.

      1. Where: Inside the Appdome Console, go to Build > Anti Fraud Tab > Mobile Cheat Prevention section.
      2. How: Check whether Runtime Bundle Validation is toggled On (enabled), otherwise enable it . The feature Prevent Binary Modification is enabled by default, as shown below. Toggle (turn ON) Prevent Binary Modification, as shown below. Prevent Binary Modification option

        Figure 3: Prevent Binary Modification option

      3. When you enable Runtime Bundle Validation 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 Binary Modification

        Fusion Set applied Prevent Binary Modification

        Figure 4: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Prevent Binary Modification protection

      4. Click Build My App at the bottom of the Build Workflow (shown in Figure 3).
    Congratulations!  The Prevent Binary Modification protection is now added to the mobile app
  3. Certify the Prevent Binary Modification feature in Mobile Apps

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

    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 Binary Modification has been added to each Mobile app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Prevent Binary Modification and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app

Using Threat-Events™ for Binary Modification Intelligence and Control in Mobile Apps

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

The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for Binary Modification are:

Threat-Event™ Elements Prevent Binary Modification Method Detail
Appdome Feature Name Prevent Binary Modification
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 Preventing Binary Modification Threat-Event™
Threat-Event NAME
Threat-Event DATA reasonData
Threat-Event CODE reasonCode
Threat-Event REF
Threat-Event SCORE
currentThreatEventScore Current Threat-Event score
threatEventsScore Total Threat-events score
Threat-Event Context Keys
message Message displayed for the user on event
failSafeEnforce Timed enforcement against the identified threat
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
buildDate Appdome fusion date of the current application
devicePlatform OS name of the current device
carrierName Carrier name of the current device. Only available for Android.
updatedOSVersion Is the OS version up to date
deviceBrand Brand of the device
deviceBoard Board of the device
buildUser Build user
buildHost Build host
sdkVersion Sdk version
timeZone Time zone
deviceFaceDown Is the device face down
locationLong Location longitude conditioned by location permission
locationLat Location latitude conditioned by location permission
locationState Location state conditioned by location permission
wifiSsid Wifi SSID
wifiSsidPermissionStatus Wifi SSID permission status

With Threat-Events™ enabled (turned ON), Mobile developers can get detailed attack intelligence and granular defense control in Mobile applications and create amazing user experiences for all mobile end users when Binary Modification is detected.


The following is a code sample for native Mobile apps, which uses all values in the specification above for Prevent Binary Modification:


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.



Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured Mobile Apps by using Prevent Binary Modification. 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 Prevent Binary Modification

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:

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.

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