How to Detect Privilege Escalation, Permission Changes to External Messaging Apps

Last updated January 9, 2024 by Appdome

In-App Messages Only ensures all message are made using the app’s native messaging service, when applicable. This Knowledge Base article describes how to block mobile app permissions to external messaging apps in a mobile app with a few button clicks.

We hope you find it useful and enjoy using Appdome!

How to Block Mobile App Permission to External Messaging Apps

Appdome is a no-code mobile app security platform designed to add security features in mobile apps.

Appdome’s no-code mobile app security platform offers mobile developers, DevSec and security professionals a convenient and reliable way to protect Android and iOS apps without coding. When a user clicks “Build My App”, Appdome leverages a microservice architecture filled with 1000s of security plugins, and an adaptive code generation engine that matches the correct required plugins to the development environment, frameworks, and methods in each app.

Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured apps. There is no SDK and no library to manually code or implement in the app. The Appdome technology adds the relevant standards, frameworks, stores, and logic to the app automatically, with no manual development work at all.

Block mobile app permission to external messaging apps is part of Mobile Permission Control which can be found in the Appdome Mobility Suite under the Management tab.

When you Add Ability to Use In-App Messages Only to Mobile Apps, the app can not display alternate messaging apps when contact is clicked within the app. For more information on these types of controls, check out this blog.

Prerequisites for Adding In-App Messages Only Functionality

Appdome account – IDEAL or Higher.
Mobile App (.ipa for iOS, or .apk or .aab for Android) Have the app file available for Fusion on your computer.
Appdome-GO access
Signing Credentials (e.g., signing certificates and provisioning profile)

3 Easy Steps to Block Mobile App Permission to External Messaging Apps

To add In-App Messages Only to Any Mobile App:

Upload a Mobile App to Your Account.
Follow these steps to add a mobile apps to your Appdome account.
If you do not yet have an Appdome account, click here to create an account.
Go to Build > Management, and then Appdome Mobility Suite.
Within the Service Selection section, enable (toggle ON) the EMM Services option.
Open the Mobile Permission Control section.
Click on the toggle to enable In-App Messages Only.
Click Build My App.

Mobile Permission Control Toggle

The technology behind Build My App has two major elements – (1) a microservice architecture filled with 1000s of code sets needed for mobile integrations, and (2) an adaptive code generation engine that can recognize the development environment, frameworks and methods in each app and match the app to the relevant code-sets needed to add In-App Messages Only to the mobile app in seconds.

Congratulations! You now have a mobile app fully integrated with In-App Messages Only.

Success message

Protect your privacy by ensuring messages are sent and received using the app’s native messenger with Appdome

When “In-App Messages Only” is enabled, the app cannot access the native messaging app on the mobile device. It also prevents the app from displaying alternate messaging apps when a phone number is clicked within the app. For more information on these types of controls, check out this KB article.

To zoom out on this topic, visit Appdome for Mobile App Security on our website.

After Adding In-App Messages Only to a Mobile App on Appdome

After you have added In-App Messages Only to any Mobile App on Appdome, there are a few additional steps needed to complete your mobile integration project.

Add Context™ to the Appdome-Built App

Appdome is a full-featured mobile integration platform. Within Context™, Appdome users can brand the app, including adding a favicon to denote the new service added to the app.
For more information on the range of options available in Context™, please read this knowledge base article.

Sign the In-App Messages Only enabled Appdome-Built App (Required)

In order to deploy an Appdome-built app, it must be signed. Signing iOS app and Signing an Android app are easy using Appdome. Alternatively, you can use Private Signing, download your unsigned app and sign locally using your own signing methods.

Deploy the Appdome-built App to a Mobile Device

Once you have signed your Appdome-built app, you can download to deploy it using your distribution method of choice. For more information on deploying your Appdome-built apps, please read this knowledge base.

That is it – Enjoy Appdome with In-App Messages Only in your app!

How Do I Learn More?

Check out Appdome for Mobile App Security page or request a demo at any time.

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. If you don’t already have an account, you can sign up for free.