KOBIL Appshield Scanner

Q: What is KOBIL Appshield Scanner?

KOBIL Appshield Scanner is a mobile application security analysis tool for Android and iOS apps. It evaluates application security by combining dynamic runtime testing on real, physical devices with AI-supported static (file-based) analysis to determine whether an app is properly protected against common runtime attacks and tampering techniques.

Q: What is KOBIL Appshield Scanner used for?

KOBIL Appshield Scanner is used to verify the presence and effectiveness of mobile app security hardening mechanisms. It helps development and security teams understand whether their Android or iOS applications are protected against threats such as debugging, hooking, code injection, screen capture, and device compromise (root or jailbreak).

Q: What types of mobile apps can KOBIL Appshield Scanner analyze?

KOBIL Appshield Scanner supports Android and iOS mobile applications. It accepts AAB or APK files for Android and IPA files for iOS, performing both dynamic runtime testing and static analysis to evaluate the app’s overall security posture.

Q: How is Appshield Scanner different from emulator-based security scanners?

Unlike many security scanners that rely on ARM or x86_64 emulators and sandbox environments, KOBIL Appshield Scanner performs dynamic runtime tests on real, physical Android and iOS devices. This approach allows more accurate detection of security mechanisms and reduces false positives or missed findings caused by emulator detection or bypass techniques.

Q: What security protections does Appshield Scanner check for?

Appshield Scanner detects a wide range of mobile app security measures, including (but not limited to): - Root and jailbreak detection - Anti-debugging mechanisms - Frida and anti-hooking protections - Anti code injection defenses - Screenshot and screen recording detection - Screen mirroring detection - Keylogger detection - Tapjacking protection

Q: What happens if some dynamic tests fail or cannot be executed?

If certain dynamic test cases fail due to unexpected runtime issues or because the app actively blocks analysis, Appshield Scanner automatically performs a static, AI-powered analysis for those specific test cases. The findings from both dynamic and static analysis are then combined to produce a final security verdict.

Q: How can I tell if my app is considered secure after the scan?

After the scan completes, Appshield Scanner provides the output variable `AC_APPSHIELD_IS_APP_SECURE`: - `true` indicates the app is properly hardened and contains the required security mechanisms - `false` indicates some security measures are missing - `null` indicates the scan failed due to an internal or unexpected issue

KOBIL Appshield Scanner, integrated with Appcircle's CI/CD pipelines, is a mobile application security analysis tool for Android and iOS apps. It evaluates whether applications are properly hardened against runtime attacks by combining dynamic testing on real, physical devices with AI-supported static analysis, helping teams verify mobile app protection early and continuously in the development lifecycle.

Key Benefits

Real Device Runtime Security Testing: Performs dynamic security tests on real Android and iOS devices instead of emulators, enabling accurate detection of runtime protections with fewer false positives.

Comprehensive Mobile Security Coverage: Checks for root/jailbreak detection, anti-debugging, anti-hooking (Frida), code injection defenses, screenshot/screen recording detection, screen mirroring detection, keylogger protection, and tapjacking prevention.

Hybrid Dynamic and AI-Powered Static Analysis: Automatically falls back to AI-powered static analysis when dynamic tests cannot run, ensuring consistent security assessments.

Clear Output for CI/CD Automation: Provides a clear output variable (`AC_APPSHIELD_IS_APP_SECURE`) for automated pass/fail decisions in your pipeline.

Optional Detailed Security Reporting: Optionally generates a comprehensive PDF security report delivered via email for deeper analysis, auditing, and compliance needs.

Points to Consider

Integration Setup: Ensure the KOBIL Appshield Scanner component is correctly added to your Appcircle workflow and configured with the appropriate Android (APK/AAB) or iOS (IPA) artifacts.

Security Gate Usage: Use the `AC_APPSHIELD_IS_APP_SECURE` output variable to enforce security gates, preventing insecure builds from progressing to deployment.

Real-World Runtime Behavior: Because testing is performed on real devices, some apps may actively block analysis; in such cases, static analysis results are used to complete the assessment.

Regular Security Validation: Run KOBIL Appshield Scanner on every build or release candidate to continuously validate that security hardening mechanisms remain intact as the app evolves.

For more information on setup and usage, please visit Appcircle Technical Documentation

FAQs

What is KOBIL Appshield Scanner?

What is KOBIL Appshield Scanner used for?

What types of mobile apps can KOBIL Appshield Scanner analyze?

How is Appshield Scanner different from emulator-based security scanners?

What security protections does Appshield Scanner check for?

What happens if some dynamic tests fail or cannot be executed?

How can I tell if my app is considered secure after the scan?

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