Bugsmirror Defender's Security Breakthrough: Redefining Protection

Bugsmirror Defender | 9 min read

In our inaugural blog post “Bugsmirror Defender - Pioneering the Future of Mobile App Security”, we introduced our amazing security product, ‘Bugsmirror Defender’, offering a glimpse into its robust security features designed to transform the mobile application security landscape. In this blog post, we will learn about the driving force behind Bugsmirror Defender's creation, the journey of Bugsmirror Defender from concept to reality, and the intricate workings that set it apart. To keep things easy in this blog, we will alternatively use “Defender” instead of “Bugsmirror Defender”. Let's uncover the innovation and dedication behind Bugsmirror Defender's development, and discover how it is poised to redefine the standards of mobile app security.

Table of contents

• The limitations of current RASP-based mobile app security solutions
• Bugsmirror Defender’s development: From idea to implementation
• How Bugsmirror Defender works and sets new standards

The limitations of current RASP-based mobile app security solutions

The allure of Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP) based mobile application security solutions is undeniable. They integrate security directly into an application’s framework, offering a smart approach to security. However, these solutions frequently fail to deliver on their promises, resulting in significant shortcomings that leave applications vulnerable to exploitation by attackers.

Shortcomings of existing RASP-based app security solutions:-

1. Outdated research

Current RASP-based app security solutions suffer from significant flaws stemming from outdated research and a lack of innovation. For example, in these security solutions, USB debugging checks are present, but they don't have WiFi debugging checks, which were introduced from Android 11. Also, in these solutions, the root detection mechanisms haven’t been updated for a long time, making them less effective security solutions.

2. Lack of adaptability

Many companies offering RASP security solutions in India are merely resellers, often from foreign countries, and they operate with limited capacity. As they are not involved in the development of the RASP solutions, the solutions are not agile and don’t respond efficiently to emerging security threats.

3. Critical design issues in RASP integration

Our extensive research, testing and analysis of over 200 banking, gaming, and other applications, revealed a fundamental flaw in the design and integration of RASP. In these applications, RASP is typically integrated at the binary level as an afterthought, rather than being a core component of the app's architecture. Specifically, in hybrid applications developed with frameworks like React Native, etc., the bulk of the code is JavaScript, with minimal Native code. Current RASP solutions often "glue" their security measures onto the Native side and cover a less significant portion of the application's codebase, which attackers can spoof and easily remove.

4. Inadequate protection

Despite claims of comprehensive security, traditional RASP solutions exhibit vulnerabilities that allow apps to run on rooted devices using publicly available modules. This vulnerability is glaringly evident in our research and testing of over 200 applications.

5. Limited support for older Android versions

Existing RASP-based mobile app security solutions provide limited support for older Android OS versions, which leaves applications running on these platforms more susceptible to vulnerabilities and attacks.

These glaring shortcomings point to the pressing need for a security solution that is not only more deeply integrated into the application but also capable of covering the full spectrum of the app's code - regardless of the development framework used.

Bugsmirror Defender’s development: From idea to implementation

The journey toward developing Bugsmirror Defender was catalyzed by the above-mentioned limitations inherent in existing RASP-based mobile app security solutions. From the beginning, Bugsmirror Defender was conceived with a clear vision: to provide a level of security integration that existing RASP-based app security solutions could not achieve.

Innovation born from an attacker mindset

Understanding that the best defense is a good offense, the development of Bugsmirror Defender was informed by an intimate knowledge of how attackers operate. We scrutinized the operating system-level features and parameters that attackers commonly exploit, particularly focusing on the techniques used to bypass root detection mechanisms, as existing RASP-based app security solutions inconspicuously allow applications to be run on rooted devices. To resolve this issue, Bugsmirror Defender ensures that root detection is both accurate and unavoidable.

Mobile apps protected by Defender cannot be executed on rooted, compromised and malicious devices, thwarting a common avenue of attack.

This preemptive protection sets Bugsmirror Defender apart, integrating security measures based on deep understanding of attack vectors. Anticipating future threats, Defender fortifies apps against emerging risks. Our commitment to this approach yields unparalleled security, seamlessly blending with apps for robust protection.

By embedding Bugsmirror Defender at the compile time cum source code level, we ensure that protection is woven into the very fabric of the application. Our efficient and effective integration process minimizes integration time with minimal involvement from your development team. This fundamental difference in approach means that Defender's protection mechanisms become an intrinsic part of the app. Such integration not only tightens security but also strengthens hybrid applications, like those built with React Native, where the bulk of the code is JavaScript and only a small portion is Native code.

Bugsmirror Defender's architecture

The core of Bugsmirror Defender is developed in a lower level language, that offers powerful features to enhance security:

• Performance Efficiency: Low-level language offers superior performance and optimization capabilities, crucial for maintaining an application's responsiveness.
• Portability: Lower level language code can be easily ported across different platforms, ensuring Bugsmirror Defender's compatibility with a wide range of devices and operating systems.
• Code intricacy: The complexity of reverse-engineering lower level language code offers better code obfuscation and adds an additional layer of security, making it more challenging for attackers to analyze and exploit the protected application.

Attackers have to break each layer of security in an app, to gain complete access to the app. Hence, Bugsmirror Defender introduces a trusted approach to securing apps, employing a comprehensive, multi-layered protection strategy that sets new standards in application security:

• Device Integrity: This line of defense ensures the integrity of the device and stops attackers from gaining elevated privileges. Pivotal aspects of device integrity, like root detection are rigorously enforced to prevent app execution on rooted devices.
• Data Integrity: Apps need to show different types of data for user functionality and the Data Integrity layer protects the application's data from unauthorized modifications, safeguarding critical information.
• Business Integrity: This layer ensures app integrity through robust code hardening and prevents attackers from modifying or tampering with the app's code and creating spoof applications, thus averting potential exploits.
• Advanced Security Implementation: This is the most advanced security layer, with features like Trusted Execution Environment Hardening that protects applications against sophisticated attacks that target the most secure parts of a device. This layer ensures that TEE is properly implemented and uses its capabilities to increase the security of mobile apps. This layer is crucial for apps requiring the highest security standards, providing an impenetrable shield against even the most advanced vulnerabilities.

All layers work in tandem to guarantee complete security.

A more secure digital world

Bugsmirror Defender is designed & developed by the world’s best security researchers. Its development marks a significant milestone in the evolution of application security. By addressing the critical gaps left by current RASP-based app security solutions and offering a more secure, seamless form of protection, Defender stands as a testament to what can be achieved when security is considered a fundamental component of application development.

As we continue to refine and enhance Bugsmirror Defender, our focus remains steadfast on staying ahead of the curve, anticipating threats, and innovating solutions that safeguard digital assets in an increasingly complex and hostile digital environment. The innovation of Bugsmirror Defender marks a significant milestone in our ongoing journey toward a more secure digital world.

How Bugsmirror Defender works and sets new standards

Intuitive integration approach

Bugsmirror Defender has a compact SDK and offers unparalleled integration flexibility using intuitive integration methods, particularly for hybrid applications. Defender thus ensures robust protection regardless of the app's underlying technology. It provides complete protection on the latest as well as relatively older Android OS versions that existing RASP-based mobile app security solutions cannot.

Alternatively, for deeper integration, Bugsmirror Defender can be attached at the source code level during compilation, embedding its protection mechanisms more intrinsically within the application. This approach ensures enhanced security from the ground up, especially for complex apps that require stringent security protocols, while placing emphasis on efficient compilation with minimal alterations to the codebase.

Proactive mobile app security

Bugsmirror Defender empowers apps to proactively detect and counteract runtime security threats, creating a robust security perimeter around them:

• It safeguards against a variety of both old and new security threats, ensuring resilience against threats both within and outside the device, even on rooted or jailbroken devices.
• Unlike most security solutions that protect apps only at the APK level, Defender extends its protection to the AAR level, adding to the strength of security solutions like TEE and StrongBox already present in the device.

Designed to secure a diverse range of apps across various domains, including BFSI, healthcare, gaming, and more, Bugsmirror Defender sets new standards in mobile app security.

Continuous improvement and customization

Bugsmirror Defender is not only easily deployable and maintenance-friendly but also continuously improves through Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, adapting to new threats and vulnerabilities. Its high accuracy in detecting threats minimizes the chances of false positives, ensuring genuine user traffic is not impacted. Furthermore, Bugsmirror Defender is highly customizable and offers flexible options to adjust sensitivity levels and security parameters according to the distinct security needs and behavior of different mobile apps. This ensures that the Defender adapts to your application's specific characteristics, significantly reducing the occurrence of false positives while maintaining robust security measures.

By now, it’s pretty clear that Bugsmirror Defender has changed the landscape of mobile application security through its innovative integration methods, multilayered protection strategy, and strategic use of a lower level language for enhanced performance, security, and cross-platform compatibility. By offering a solution that is both comprehensive and adaptable, Defender provides a robust defense mechanism against an ever-evolving landscape of security threats, ensuring applications remain secure in the face of both known and unknown security vulnerabilities. By choosing Bugsmirror Defender, developers and organizations can safeguard their users' data and maintain trust in their digital products and platforms.

As we've seen, Defender's innovative approach to mobile app security offers a promising solution to the challenges that have long plagued traditional RASP-based protections. But how exactly does each of Bugsmirror Defender's features contribute to a more secure application environment? What specific threats do these features guard against, and how do they enhance the overall security posture of your applications?

In our next blog post, we dive deeper into Bugsmirror Defender, breaking down its security features, the threats they counter, and their impact on app security. Don't miss out on the in-depth look at how Defender is changing the phenomenon of mobile app security.