Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Encourages Developers to Use iOS 14's New App Attest API to Protect Against Security Threats

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
67,781
38,371


Apple in iOS 14 added a new App Attest API to the DeviceCheck feature that helps keep iOS apps secure. Apple today sent out a reminder to developers, letting them know about the new API.

iOS-14-on-phone-feature-1.jpg

App Attest is designed to reduce fraudulent app use, generating a cryptographic key on a device to verify app integrity before the server provides access, which will help cut down on hacked apps and apps that are sideloaded and modified through jailbreak tweaks.
Part of the DeviceCheck services, the new App Attest API helps protect against security threats to your apps on iOS 14 or later, reducing fraudulent use of your services. With App Attest, you can generate a special cryptographic key on a device and use it to validate the integrity of your app before your server provides access to sensitive data.
Click to expand...
Apple also shared developer documentation on implementing the App Attest API for developers that are interested. Apple has had a DeviceCheck feature to eliminate hacked apps and app fraud, but App Attest is new, will be more widely adopted, and should help further protect developers from supporting invalid versions of their apps.

Article Link: Apple Encourages Developers to Use iOS 14's New App Attest API to Protect Against Security Threats
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/08/03/apple-app-attest-ios-14-api/
If Apple truly can secure an App so that it can't be hacked, than it would be nice to see the option to resell apps you no longer want. Since Apple can confirm it's a legit copy, and they can ensure the original owner no longer has access, it shouldn't be difficult to introduce a safe, used marketplace.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mijail, scrod, tk421 and 6 others
4jasontv said:
If Apple truly can secure an App so that it can't be hacked, than it would be nice to see the option to resell apps you no longer want. Since Apple can confirm it's a legit copy, and they can ensure the original owner no longer has access, it shouldn't be difficult to introduce a safe, used marketplace.
Click to expand...
There’s no such thing as a used app. Everything is tied to the Apple ID. It would be cool if you could sell a phone with “used” software or transferrable software, but I don’t ever see that happening.
 
4jasontv said:
If Apple truly can secure an App so that it can't be hacked, than it would be nice to see the option to resell apps you no longer want. Since Apple can confirm it's a legit copy, and they can ensure the original owner no longer has access, it shouldn't be difficult to introduce a safe, used marketplace.
Click to expand...

Apps get removed mainly because developers aren't interested in paying Apple the annual $99 fee to leave them listed. Apple doesn't have the interest of the consumer or the developer in mind - their focus is solely on making as much money as possible - your "safe, used marketplace" would take away from that.
 
  • Like
  • Disagree
Reactions: Seoras, rjp1 and User 6502
Bandaman said:
There’s no such thing as a used app. Everything is tied to the Apple ID. It would be cool if you could sell a phone with “used” software or transferrable software, but I don’t ever see that happening.
Click to expand...

Who remembers when everyone tried to sell their phone with Flappy Bird installed? 😂
 
  • Like
Reactions: rjp1
ArtOfWarfare said:
Apps get removed mainly because developers aren't interested in paying Apple the annual $99 fee to leave them listed. Apple doesn't have the interest of the consumer or the developer in mind - their focus is solely on making as much money as possible - your "safe, used marketplace" would take away from that.
Click to expand...
there’s no such thing as used software. only the medium the software exists on
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
Apps get removed mainly because developers aren't interested in paying Apple the annual $99 fee to leave them listed. Apple doesn't have the interest of the consumer or the developer in mind - their focus is solely on making as much money as possible - your "safe, used marketplace" would take away from that.
Click to expand...

How? They could take another 30% cut from the seller.
 
lolkthxbai said:
there’s no such thing as used software. only the medium the software exists on
Click to expand...

That was my word in an attempt to differentiate between first and second sale of a digital item. You are right, it's not the best term, but it's easier for many to understand. We need to get away from the idea of a software licence. What term would you use?
 
  • Like
Reactions: centauratlas
It sounds like Apple is trying (and failing) to deal with the fact that client side code can be stolen and compromised. This cannot be dealt with on the client side - it's up to the server to validate whether access should be granted.

If a developer wants to ensure their code is never stolen, they have to keep important parts of it on the server side. I have some heuristics I've written for how a server can determine whether a legitimate client is calling them or not, but it takes work and is app specific - Apple isn't providing anything helpful here - it's just a way to have developers accidentally stick Apple's crap on their server that'll make it harder to serve Android users.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: chrono1081
Goodbye Spotify++ w/ free Spotify premium. This feature will eventually break you
 
4jasontv said:
If Apple truly can secure an App so that it can't be hacked, than it would be nice to see the option to resell apps you no longer want. Since Apple can confirm it's a legit copy, and they can ensure the original owner no longer has access, it shouldn't be difficult to introduce a safe, used marketplace.
Click to expand...
On one hand, I can see some merit to that, on the other, apps are already priced at basically fire sale prices. If you have used apps, then you have less new sales for developers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pirate!
CarlJ said:
On one hand, I can see some merit to that, on the other, apps are already priced at basically fire sale prices. If you have used apps, then you have less new sales for developers.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I think most people would be willing to pay new price for reasonably priced apps - instead of trying to wait for someone to put their used copy up for sale. It's the overpriced apps that never discount their software or the developers like Things and GoodReader who release new versions as new apps and force their existing customers to buy their apps again. If I could resell my old versions of these apps, even for 15 to 25%, I would have been more likely to stay with them. And the people that buy 'used' versions would be more likely to buy the new ones after they worked out it's value.

Developers should also have a market force that encourages them to develop new software and not rely on sales of old ones. Especially games. Either make the game so engaging people want to keep replaying them or make a sequel.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back