M7: Insufficient Binary Protection

Overview

This JSON response provides information about the threat of insufficient binary protection, including the potential impacts and ways to prevent it.

Description

Insufficient Binary Protection refers to vulnerabilities in app binaries that can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access, manipulate the app's functionalities, or extract sensitive information. This JSON response provides insights into the threat agents, attack vectors, security weaknesses, technical impacts, and business impacts of insufficient binary protection. It also offers example attack scenarios and recommendations on how to prevent such attacks.

How to Prevent ?

To prevent Insufficient Binary Protection, it is recommended to employ obfuscation techniques, compile parts of apps natively, use interpreters or nested virtual machines, enforce local security checks, and implement integrity checks to detect code tampering and redistribution. Regular threat modeling analysis, assessing the importance of critical content within the binary, and employing countermeasures accordingly are essential.

Example Attack Scenarios:

• Hardcoded API keys:  In this scenario, an app uses a commercial API with hardcoded API keys in its binary code. An attacker can reverse engineer the app and gain access to the API key, enabling them to misuse it or sell it, potentially causing financial damage to the app provider.

• Disabling payment and license checks:  In this scenario, a mobile game has its later levels protected by a license check. An attacker who reverse engineers the app can disable the license check and distribute the modified app for free or under a different name, bypassing the payment and license requirements.

• Hardcoded AI models:  In this scenario, a medical app includes specialized AI models in its binary code. An attacker can extract these models and sell them to competitors, compromising the app's competitive advantage and intellectual property.