How to Detect Speed Hacking & Speed Hacks in Android Apps Using AI
This Knowledge Base article describes how to use Appdome’s AI/ML in your CI/CD pipeline to continuously deliver plugins that Detect Speed Hacking in Android apps.
What Is a Speed Hack?
A speed hack is a manipulation technique where attackers alter an app’s runtime speed, typically using tools like Cheat Engine, to gain unfair advantages, bypass restrictions, or exploit app vulnerabilities. These hacks are common in gaming apps but can also impact financial and productivity apps, leading to unauthorized access, disrupted transactions, or broken app logic. By modifying the app’s speed, attackers can manipulate time-sensitive features, compromise fair usage policies, or exploit underlying security gaps.
Detecting speed hacks is essential to maintain app functionality, protect sensitive data, and comply with standards like PCI DSS or PSD2 that mandate secure app operations.
How Appdome Protects Android Apps Against Speed Hacks?
Appdome’s dynamic Detect Speed Hack plugin for mobile games identifies runtime speed manipulation by monitoring app timing, resource usage, and integrity in real time. The plugin blocks unauthorized changes to app speed, ensuring secure and consistent operations.
Mobile developers can leverage Appdome’s Threat-Events™ to collect detailed data on speed hack events and tailor in-app responses based on detected threats.
Prerequisites for Using Appdome's Detect Speed Hack Plugins:
To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Detect Speed Hacking , you’ll need:
- Appdome account (create a free Appdome account here)
- A license for Detect Speed Hack
- Mobile App (.apk or .aab for Android)
- Signing Credentials (see Signing Secure Android apps and Signing Secure iOS apps)
How to Implement Detect Speed Hacking in Android Apps Using Appdome
On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending Android Apps that Detect Speed Hacking 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 Speed Hack 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 Speed Hack.
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Follow the steps in Sections 2.2-2.2.2 of this article to add the Detect Speed Hack feature to your Fusion Set via the Appdome Console.
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When you select the Detect Speed Hack you'll notice that the Fusion Set you created in step 2.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Detect Speed Hack.
Figure 2: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Detect Speed Hack 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 Speed Hack feature as shown below:Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Detect Speed Hack feature
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Add the Detect Speed Hack feature to your security template.
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Navigate to Build > Anti Fraud tab > Mobile Cheat Prevention section in the Appdome Console.
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Toggle OnDetect Speed Hack.
(a) Choose to monitor this attack vector by checking the Threat Events checkbox associated with Detect Speed Hack 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 XDR.Figure 4: Selecting Detect Speed Hacking
Note: The Appdome Platform displays the Mobile Operation Systems supported by each defense in real-time. For more details, see our OS Support Policy KB. -
Select the Threat-Event™ in-app mobile Threat Defense and Intelligence policy for Detect Speed Hack:
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Threat-Events™ OFF > In-App Defense
If the Threat-Events™ setting is not selected. Appdome will detect and defend the user and app by enforcing Speed Hacking.
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Threat-Events™ ON > In-App Detection
When this setting is used, Appdome detects the use of Speed Hacking 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™ to Detect Detect Speed Hack 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 Speed Hacking (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 Detect Speed Hack Intelligence and Control in Mobile Apps.
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Configure the User Experience Options for Detect Speed Hack:
With Threat-Events™ OFF, Appdome provides several user experience options for mobile brands and developers.- App Compromise Notification: Customize the pop-up or toast Appdome uses to notify the user when a threat is present while using the protected mobile app.
- Short message Option. This is available for mobile devices that allow a banner notification for security events.
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Localized Message Option. Allows Appdome users to support global languages in security notifications.
Figure 5: Default User Experience Options for Appdome’s Speed Hacking
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Detect Speed Hack Threat Code™. Appdome uses AI/ML to generate a unique code each time Detect Speed Hack is triggered by an active threat on the mobile device. Use the code in Appdome Threat Resolution Center™ to help end users identify, find and resolve active threats on the personal mobile devices.
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Congratulations! The Detect Speed Hack protection is now added to the mobile app -
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Certify the Detect Speed Hack feature in Android Apps
After building Detect Speed Hack, Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the Detect Speed Hack protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the Detect Speed Hack protection has been added to the mobile app, locate the protection in the Certified Secure™ certificate as shown below:
Figure 6: 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 Speed Hack has been added to each Android app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Detect Speed Hack and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app.
Using Threat-Events™ for Speed Hacking Intelligence and Control in Android Apps
Appdome Threat-Events™ provides consumable in-app mobile app attack intelligence and defense control when Speed Hacking is detected. To consume and use Threat-Events™ for Speed Hacking in Android Apps, use registerReceiver in the Application OnCreate, and the code samples for Threat-Events™ for Speed Hacking shown below.
The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for Speed Hacking are:
Threat-Event™ Elements | Detect Speed Hacking Method Detail |
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Appdome Feature Name | Detect Speed Hack |
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 Speed Hacking Threat-Event™ | |
Threat-Event NAME | SpeedHackDetected |
Threat-Event DATA | reasonData |
Threat-Event CODE | reasonCode |
Threat-Event REF | 6916 |
Threat-Event SCORE | |
currentThreatEventScore | Current Threat-Event score |
threatEventsScore | Total Threat-events score |
Threat-Event Context Keys | |
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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 |
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 Speed Hacking is detected.
The following is a code sample for native Android apps, which uses all values in the specification above for Detect Speed Hack:
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.
xxxxxxxxxx
IntentFilter intentFilter = new IntentFilter();
intentFilter.addAction("SpeedHackDetected");
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);
}
Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured Android Apps by using Detect Speed Hack. 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 Speed Hack
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 Prevent abuse of Android AccessibilityService for compromising Android apps
- How to Detect GameGuardian on Rooted Android in Android Games
- How to Block GameGuardian & Cheating Apps in Android Games
- How to Block Memory Editing Tools & Attacks on Android & iOS
- How to Prevent Static App Patching in Android Apps
Check out the Appdome Mobile Games Protection solution page or request a demo at any time.
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.