How to Prevent Task Hijacking in Android Apps
This Knowledge Base article describes how to use Appdome’s AI/ML in your CI/CD pipeline to continuously deliver plugins that Prevent Task Hijacking in Android apps.
What is Task Hijacking?
Task Hijacking is an attack that targets the way an Android application manages its activities (aka: tasks) particularly when an app allows exported activities. Malicious apps use this technique to insert themselves into an app’s task stack, creating deceptive windows that appear legitimate. Attackers can overlay fake login screens, intercept transactions, or capture sensitive user data like login credentials, SMS messages, and financial information. Tools like StrandHogg 2.0 exploit Android’s multitasking system to target apps in the recent apps menu, further increasing the risk of credential theft and unauthorized access. This attack is particularly dangerous because it bypasses user awareness, allowing malware to seamlessly impersonate legitimate app interfaces. Defending against task hijacking is critical for securing user authentication, preventing session takeovers, and meeting compliance standards such as PCI DSS and PSD2, which require strong security measures to prevent unauthorized access to financial and personal data.
How Does Appdome Prevent Task Hijacking?
Appdome’s dynamic Task Hijacking prevention plugin for Android defends against malicious activity manipulations by locking app activities, preventing attackers from injecting windows into the app’s task stack. It removes the app from the multi-task background menu, blocking StrandHogg 2.0 and similar malware from hijacking tasks. Additionally, developers can designate ‘trusted activities’ to balance security with usability when enhanced protections might interfere with app workflows. Mobile developers can use Appdome’s Threat-Events™ to detect and mitigate hijacking attempts dynamically, ensuring secure app sessions without compromising user experience.
IMPORTANT: To successfully protect against Strandhogg 2.0 in devices running up to and including Android 14 it is necessary to omit the app from the recent apps tab. This step is crucial due to the specific way Strandhogg 2.0 exploits the functionalities of the recent apps tab.
We recognize that removing the app from the recent apps menu, particularly when the user is on the login screen, may cause some apps to exhibit unexpected behavior as a result of the enhanced security. In such cases, developers can add the problematic activities to the ‘trusted activities’ list. Appdome will not enforce stringent security measures on activities in this list, and the end user should not experience any interference with the app’s usability.
Prerequisites for Using Appdome's Prevent Task Hijacking Plugins:
To use Appdome’s mobile app security build system to Prevent Task Hijacking , you’ll need:
- Appdome account (create a free Appdome account here)
- A license for Prevent Task Hijacking
- Mobile App (.apk or .aab for Android)
- Signing Credentials (see Signing Secure Android apps and Signing Secure iOS apps)
How to Implement Prevent Task Hijacking in Android Apps Using Appdome
On Appdome, follow these 3 simple steps to create self-defending Android Apps that Prevent Task Hijacking 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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Prevent Task Hijacking 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: Prevent Task Hijacking.
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Follow the steps in Sections 2.2-2.2.2 of this article to add the Prevent Task Hijacking feature to your Fusion Set via the Appdome Console.
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When you select the Prevent Task Hijacking you'll notice that the Fusion Set you created in step 2.1 now bears the icon of the protection category that contains Prevent Task Hijacking.
Figure 2: Fusion Set that displays the newly added Prevent Task Hijacking 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 Prevent Task Hijacking feature as shown below:Figure 1: Fusion Set that will contain the Prevent Task Hijacking feature
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Add the Prevent Task Hijacking feature to your security template.
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Navigate to Build > Anti ATO tab > Android Trojans section in the Appdome Console.
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Toggle On > Prevent Task Hijacking.
Figure 4: Selecting Prevent Task Hijacking
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. -
Configure the User Experience Options for Prevent Task Hijacking:
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 Task Hijacking
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Prevent Task Hijacking Threat Code™. Appdome uses AI/ML to generate a unique code each time Prevent Task Hijacking 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.
- Optional Configuration with Prevent Task Hijacking:
- Trust Specified Activities Only
Specify the class name of the activity to exclude from Overlay detection
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Congratulations! The Prevent Task Hijacking protection is now added to the mobile app -
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Certify the Prevent Task Hijacking feature in Android Apps
After building Prevent Task Hijacking, Appdome generates a Certified Secure™ certificate to guarantee that the Prevent Task Hijacking protection has been added and is protecting the app. To verify that the Prevent Task Hijacking 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 Prevent Task Hijacking has been added to each Android app. Certified Secure provides instant and in-line DevSecOps compliance certification that Prevent Task Hijacking and other mobile app security features are in each build of the mobile app.
Using Threat-Events™ for Task Hijacking Intelligence and Control in Android Apps
Appdome Threat-Events™ provides consumable in-app mobile app attack intelligence and defense control when Task Hijacking is detected. To consume and use Threat-Events™ for Task Hijacking in Android Apps, use registerReceiver in the Application OnCreate, and the code samples for Threat-Events™ for Task Hijacking shown below.
The specifications and options for Threat-Events™ for Task Hijacking are:
Threat-Event™ Elements | Prevent Task Hijacking Method Detail |
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Appdome Feature Name | Prevent Task Hijacking |
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 Task Hijacking 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 | |
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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 Task Hijacking is detected.
The following is a code sample for native Android apps, which uses all values in the specification above for Prevent Task Hijacking:
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.
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IntentFilter intentFilter = new IntentFilter();
intentFilter.addAction("");
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);
}
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val intentFilter = IntentFilter()
intentFilter.addAction("")
val threatEventReceiver = object : BroadcastReceiver() {
override fun onReceive(context: Context?, intent: Intent?) {
var message = intent?.getStringExtra("message") // Message shown to the user
var reasonData = intent?.getStringExtra("reasonData") // Threat detection cause
var reasonCode = intent?.getStringExtra("reasonCode") // Event reason code
// Current threat event score
var currentThreatEventScore = intent?.getStringExtra("currentThreatEventScore")
// Total threat events score
var threatEventsScore = intent?.getStringExtra("threatEventsScore")
// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
// var 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)
}
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const { ADDevEvents } = NativeModules;
const aDDevEvents = new NativeEventEmitter(ADDevEvents);
function registerToDevEvent(action, callback) {
NativeModules.ADDevEvents.registerForDevEvent(action);
aDDevEvents.addListener(action, callback);
}
export function registerToAllEvents() {
registerToDevEvent(
"",
(userinfo) => Alert.alert(JSON.stringify(userinfo))
var message = userinfo["message"] // Message shown to the user
var reasonData = userinfo["reasonData"] // Threat detection cause
var reasonCode = userinfo["reasonCode"] // Event reason code
// Current threat event score
var currentThreatEventScore = userinfo["currentThreatEventScore"]
// Total threat events score
var threatEventsScore = userinfo["threatEventsScore"]
// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
// var variable = userinfo["<Context Key>"]
// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
);
}
x
RegisterReceiver(new ThreatEventReceiver(), new IntentFilter(""));
class ThreatEventReceiver : BroadcastReceiver
{
public override void OnReceive(Context context, Intent intent)
{
// Message shown to the user
String message = intent.GetStringExtra("message");
// Threat detection cause
String reasonData = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonData");
// Event reason code
String reasonCode = intent.GetStringExtra("reasonCode");
// 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...)
}
}
x
NSNotificationCenter.DefaultCenter.AddObserver(
(NSString)"", // Threat-Event Identifier
delegate (NSNotification notification)
{
// Message shown to the user
var message = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("message");
// Threat detection cause
var reasonData = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("reasonData");
// Event reason code
var reasonCode = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("reasonCode");
// Current threat event score
var currentThreatEventScore = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("currentThreatEventScore");
// Total threat events score
var threatEventsScore = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("threatEventsScore");
// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
// var variable = notification.UserInfo.ObjectForKey("<Context Keys>");
// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
}
);
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window.broadcaster.addEventListener("", function(userInfo) {
var message = userInfo.message // Message shown to the user
var reasonData = userInfo.reasonData // Threat detection cause
var reasonCode = userInfo.reasonCode // Event reason code
// Current threat event score
var currentThreatEventScore = userInfo.currentThreatEventScore
// Total threat events score
var threatEventsScore = userInfo.threatEventsScore
// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
// var variable = userInfo.<Context Keys>
// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
});
x
import 'dart:async';
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
class PlatformChannel extends StatefulWidget {
const PlatformChannel({super.key});
State<PlatformChannel> createState() => _PlatformChannelState();
}
class _PlatformChannelState extends State<PlatformChannel> {
// Replace with your EventChannel name
static const String _eventChannelName = "";
static const EventChannel _eventChannel = EventChannel(_eventChannelName);
void initState() {
super.initState();
_eventChannel.receiveBroadcastStream().listen(_onEvent, onError: _onError);
}
void _onEvent(Object? event) {
setState(() {
// Adapt this section based on your specific event data structure
var eventData = event as Map;
// Example: Accessing 'externalID' field from the event
var externalID = eventData['externalID'];
// Customize the rest of the fields based on your event structure
String message = eventData['message']; // Message shown to the user
String reasonData = eventData['reasonData']; // Threat detection cause
String reasonCode = eventData['reasonCode']; // Event reason code
// Current threat event score
String currentThreatEventScore = eventData['currentThreatEventScore'];
// Total threat events score
String threatEventsScore = eventData['threatEventsScore'];
// Replace '<Context Key>' with your specific event context key
// String variable = eventData['<Context Keys>'];
});
}
// Your logic goes here (Send data to Splunk/Dynatrace/Show Popup...)
}
Using Appdome, there are no development or coding prerequisites to build secured Apps by using Prevent Task Hijacking. 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 Task Hijacking
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 Protect Android & iOS Apps from Keylogging Malware
- How to Block Memory Editing tools for Android & iOS apps
- How to Detect MiTM Proxies, Prevent MiTM Attacks in Android & iOS Apps
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.