Today's modern consumer uses mobile apps for every aspect of their lives - from banking to buying concert tickets - even dating! As digital nomads, we rely heavily on mobile applications to entertain, inform, and connect. And despite the inherent risks, valuable information about individuals and organizations is stored on apps that run on mobile devices.

Beyond individual users, the security of mobile applications directly impacts the health of businesses; from corporate reputations to valuable IP, and the sanctity of other enterprise-level information. Additionally, valuable customer information is part of that data flow - and that data is highly sought after by bad actors. A mobile app breach can jeopardize user trust, and poses a significant threat to the overall viability of businesses who rely on mobile apps to power their companies. 

As cyber crimes continue to surge, the threat of cyberattacks such as malware impacting mobile apps has grown dramatically. Recognizing this, the cybersecurity industry has responded by developing innovative protection solutions, with application shielding tools emerging as a cornerstone in the defense against reverse engineering, tampering, and unauthorized mobile code access. 

It is advisable to rely on a professional application shielding solution to enhance the security of mobile apps. Outlined here are the Top 5 Best Application Shielding Software solutions for 2024 that will protect your apps from harm.

No 1. Verimatrix XTD

(Photo: Taken from Verimatrix Website)

Verimatrix XTD (Extended Threat Defense) sets a new standard in mobile app cybersecurity by offering an unparalleled app protection and threat monitoring platform. The solution is created by Verimatrix, a 28-year-old French cybersecurity company that specializes in protecting mobile apps, websites and digital content for financial services, media & entertainment, online wagering, automotive and healthcare. The company has 153 security patents granted and is recognized as a market leader in app shielding.

Verimatrix XTD has unique capabilities that shine in detecting and mitigating cyber threats and fraud signals across Android and iOS apps. Verimatrix helps customers safeguard apps from reverse engineering, application repacking, dynamic modification, man in the device, rooting, jailbreaking, emulating, and debugging. Furthermore, the company provides robust code obfuscation, anti-temper capabilities, RASP, automated code analysis, environment checks and cryptographic key protection.

Addressing the pressing concerns of mobile app developers, security teams, and CISOs, Verimatrix XTD introduces a proactive approach to cybersecurity. By implementing a mobile cybersecurity solution that tirelessly monitors extended endpoints (including unmanaged consumer devices), the platform excels at identifying suspicious activities and anomalies that could indicate an impending attack. This continuous monitoring feature provides organizations with the edge they need to stop threats before they escalate into serious security breaches.

Regulatory compliance is a non-negotiable aspect of cybersecurity, and Verimatrix XTD rises to the challenge by offering comprehensive tools, detailed logs, and audit trails, extending coverage to often overlooked areas such as mobile app and consumer device threats. 

By using state-of-the-art AI/ML technology, XTD identifies threat patterns and issues zero-day early warnings. Additionally, the optional monitoring and response service allows organizations to augment internal teams with the expertise of Verimatrix's data scientists, effectively addressing resourcing concerns.

Highlighted Features

XTD Prevent

Verimatrix XTD Prevent emerges as a cornerstone in fortifying mobile apps against potential cyber threats. Employing military-grade, layered security measures, the platform incorporates both app shielding and RASP. App shielding involves a sophisticated process of hardening apps, making them resistant to reverse engineering and tampering. 

Simultaneously, RASP focuses on protecting the app during execution. XTD Prevent tools, including code encryption, control flow obfuscation, and zero-day blockers, collectively form a formidable defense, ensuring the security of mobile applications.

XTD Detect & Respond

The XTD Detect & Respond feature impresses with its powerful and user-friendly dashboard. Including digital detection meters provides an instantaneous and comprehensive overview of your infrastructure's protection and risk levels. 

The integration with SIEM systems is a standout feature, allowing organizations to automate preventive and detective processes. This integration enhances the organization's overall security posture, providing a holistic and intelligent response to potential threats.

Video to embed: Asaf Ashkenazi introduces Verimatrix XTD

No 2. Approov

(Photo: Taken from Approov Website)

Approov is a mobile app security solution provided by Approov Limited. Approov is designed to help protect mobile APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) from unauthorized access and abuse. The platform focuses on ensuring that only genuine, unmodified instances of an authorized mobile app can communicate with a server or API.

The core idea behind Approov is to use a combination of device attestation and token-based authentication to verify the legitimacy of incoming requests from mobile apps. By doing so, Approov prevents various forms of attacks, including API abuse, reverse engineering, and the use of malicious or tampered apps to interact with server-side resources.

Highlighted Features

Remote Attestation for Integrity Verification

One of Approov's standout features is its remote attestation approach. Unlike conventional security methods that embed threat detection logic within the app, Approov shifts the decision-making process to the cloud. 

The running app is required to prove its genuineness through a series of integrity measurements, and the results are securely transmitted to the Approov cloud using a patented challenge-response protocol, immune from replay attacks. By doing so, Approov effectively removes the decision-making authority from the attacker-controlled app environment, minimizing the risk of exploitation.

Secure API Communication with Short-Lived Tokens

Upon successful attestation, the running app receives a short-lived cryptographic token from the Approov cloud. This token serves as a powerful tool for proving the app's authenticity to backend API services. 

Crucially, the app cannot autonomously make decisions about its integrity or sign its tokens, ensuring that defense mechanisms are positioned beyond the reach of potential attackers. Approov acts as a stalwart guardian, protecting backend APIs from various threats, including API abuse, credential stuffing, fake botnet registrations, and DDoS attacks.

Approov Runtime Secrets Protection

Approov's Runtime Secrets Protection goes a step further by implementing a "just-in-time" delivery model. Secrets are transmitted to the app precisely at the moment they are required to make an API call. 

This dynamic approach minimizes the window of vulnerability, as secrets cannot be extracted from the app package or intercepted during communication. The result is a robust security posture that combines remote configuration capabilities with advanced app protections.

No 3. Guardsquare DexGuard

(Photo: Taken from Guardsquare Website)

Guardsquare DexGuard is a sophisticated application hardening and obfuscation solution designed to enhance the security of Android applications. DexGuard, developed by Guardsquare, builds on the strengths of ProGuard. The software is an open-source code shrinking and obfuscation tool, and it extends its capabilities to provide robust protection against reverse engineering, tampering, and other security threats targeting Android applications.

DexGuard provides a holistic approach to application security by combining multiple layers of protection. From code obfuscation to runtime defenses, the solution addresses various attack vectors, offering comprehensive protection against both known and unknown threats.

Highlighted Features

Code Obfuscation

DexGuard employs advanced code obfuscation techniques to transform the structure and logic of Android application code, making it challenging for attackers to understand and reverse engineer. This includes renaming classes, methods, and variables, thereby preventing attempts to analyze and tamper with the application.

String Encryption

Sensitive strings within the application, such as API keys and other critical information, are encrypted by DexGuard. This adds an extra layer of protection, preventing attackers from easily extracting and abusing these essential elements.

Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP):

DexGuard incorporates RASP mechanisms to actively protect the application during runtime. This includes runtime checks and defenses against common attack vectors, ensuring that the application can detect and respond to potential threats dynamically.

No 4. Promon SHIELD

(Photo: Taken from Promon Website)

Promon SHIELD is positioned as a robust mobile application security solution, aiming to safeguard mobile apps from a wide range of threats, including malware, tampering, and other malicious activities. It provides a set of features that enhance the security posture of mobile applications, making it a valuable asset for businesses and developers concerned about the integrity and confidentiality of their mobile apps.

Promon SHIELD is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing mobile applications. Its user-friendly integration process ensures that developers can enhance the security of their apps without significant disruptions to the development workflow.

Highlighted Features

Anti-Tampering Measures

The solution provided by Promon SHIELD boasts elite anti-tampering features to prevent unauthorized access to the application's code and resources. This involves techniques such as code obfuscation and integrity checks, making it challenging for attackers to reverse engineer or manipulate the application.

Root Detection

Promon SHIELD includes root detection mechanisms to identify whether a device has been rooted or compromised. This is crucial for ensuring that the app is running in a secure environment, as rooted devices can pose additional security risks.

No 5. Digital.ai Application Security

(Photo: Taken from digital.ai Website)

Digital.ai Application Protection (formerly Arxan Application Protection) is a comprehensive solution designed to secure applications across various platforms, including mobile, desktop, and server environments. It aims to safeguard applications from reverse engineering, tampering, and other malicious activities, offering a robust defense against a wide range of cyber threats.

With its comprehensive set of features, including code hardening, encryption, and real-time threat response, Digital.ai offers a compelling option for businesses looking to fortify their application security across diverse platforms.

Highlighted Features

Code Hardening

Digital.ai employs advanced code hardening techniques to make it significantly more challenging for attackers to reverse engineer and analyze the application's code. This involves transforming the code in a way that maintains its functionality while obfuscating its structure and logic.

Secure Key Storage

Digital.ai addresses the security of cryptographic keys by providing secure storage solutions. Protecting keys is critical for applications that rely on encryption for secure communications and data protection.

Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP):

Digital.ai Application Protection includes RASP capabilities, which means that the application actively monitors its runtime behavior and takes measures to prevent or mitigate potential threats. This includes detecting and responding to unauthorized code modifications or runtime attacks.

Conclusion

Companies, organizations, and more specifically, app manufacturers play a crucial role in terms of digital security. Employing application shielding to fortify their business is important. By implementing these solutions, app manufacturers not only protect their users but also safeguard their business interests, reputation, and the confidential information of enterprise clients.

In this interconnected world, where the protection of sensitive information should be prioritized, the adoption of strong security measures is not just a choice. It is a necessity for those responsible for crafting the digital tools that shape our online experiences. Be secured and try these application shielding solutions today.