Protect Your Mobile Game App! - Part 2

After you make and launch your mobile game apps and if the number of users in game services gathers more than a certain number of users, the development of the amount work increases, which means that you lose the timing to apply security and then try to secure after understanding the entire structure of the game to hackers. However, because hackers have already completed understanding of the app structure, additional hacking attempts can be led frequently. So, it is important to do it from the beginning, even with very little security.

This post is the Part 2 of Protect Your Mobile Game App! - Part 1.

1. MEMORY SEARCHING
2. REPACKING
3. HACKING TOOL
4. ROOTING, VIRTUAL MACHINE

Above are appropriate defense measures for each type of game hacking. Previously, we have explained about 1. MEMORY SEARCHING and 2. REPACKING.

In this post, we will discuss about 3. HACKING TOOL 4. ROOTING, VIRTUAL MACHINE.

3. HACKING TOOL

Hacking by hacking tools is the most common and the most common method of hacking among the total number of hacking attacks. In order to effectively defend the hacking tool, effective defense is only possible when both of the following cases are considered;

• Detects known hacking tools
• Blocks access from unknown hacking tools

In addition, prevention of the typical functions provided by hacking tools is necessary in order to effectively protect the hacking tool.

• Memory Modulation
• Speed Hack
• Bypass in-app purchase

Defensive methods

Statistics show that hacking tools are mostly used for memory modulation and speed hack purposes.

1. For memory modulation and speed nuclear, it is possible to defend against known and unknown hacking tools by blocking access to the game app process mentioned in the ‘Memory Searching’ method.

2. Also, for known hacking tools, it is important to check if the hacking tool is currently running, to detect and block it. Sometimes, you don't know if the apps you've received are the tools used for hacking. For these users, if the hacking tool installed prevents the game from being blocked, it can lead to complains, which can be caused by the user's departure. If the hacking tool is detected, the user can minimize inconvenience by checking whether the hacking tool is executed during the process without checking the installation status of the hacking tool.

3. For bypass in-app purchase, the game app sends the in-app payment receipt issued at the time of payment to the Game Server to check the validity of the receipt.

4. ROOTING, VIRTUAL MACHINE

[ Rooting ]

Rooting means obtain administrator privileges by changing your mobile device. Administrator rights have full access to the mobile device system so you can use it to falsify game apps or access memory and processes. To detect the rooting, you must combine detection of files that can be converted to administrator rights and detection of custom rom, it mean efficient detection. However, game apps often allow routing in consideration of user inflows, and unconditional blocking of routing can prevent users from entering game services.

From a secure perspective, the blocking policy of the rooted device is efficient, or game apps can provide protection against sensitive hacking with functions such as memory signing, integrity detection and hacking tool detection.

[ Virtual Machine ]

Virtual machines are programs that support your PC's mobile environment to help you enjoy mobile games on your PC. The reason why virtual machines are important for hacking is that most virtual machines support rooting and the same powerful hacking tools used in PCs can be used in mobile. But like rooting, many game apps don't recommend users using virtual machines at the beginning of game app launch because they also want to enter valuable users. However, if there are many users of game apps unlike rooting, virtual machine detection is also an important factor to consider.

If you want to know more about how to protect your mobile game app and to detect threats as below, please come and visit LIAPP and experience!

• Protects the source code (Class Protection)
• Prevent App Modulation (Anti-Tamper)
• Memory Protection
• Block Debugging (Anti-Debugging)
• Unity code protection (Unity Protection)
• Prevent Repacking (Anti-Repackaging)
• Unreal, cocos Engine Protection (Native Library Protection)
• Hacktools Detection
• Virtual Machine Detection
• Rooting Detection

For any inquiries, please leave any comments!