Appdome enhances geo-fraud detection to boost mobile app security

Appdome has announced new enhancements to its Geo-Fraud Detection service. These enhancements include Geo-Location Fencing and Geo DeSync Attack Detection, aimed at improving mobile app security and compliance. The update is part of a broader effort to help mobile app developers and enterprises tackle issues such as location spoofing, fake locations, VPNs, and other threats.

Geo-Location Fencing is considered crucial for finance apps and sectors, requiring adherence to regulatory mandates like the US Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The service allows developers to restrict or limit app access on a country or regional level, ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations.

Geo DeSync Attacks are sophisticated cyber-attacks that create inconsistencies in location data on a mobile device. By manipulating GPS coordinates, altering time zone settings, and falsifying accelerometer readings, attackers can deceive location-based services and security systems. Such attacks can lead to inaccurate tracking, unauthorised access, and potential breaches of security protocols.

Eric Newcomer, CTO and Principal Analyst at Intellyx, said, "Detecting geo-related fraud is a top priority in today's mobile app economy. Attackers are increasingly using location spoofing to avoid compliance. Mobile apps rely on accurate location for their services and are increasingly required to confirm device location to maintain trust. Appdome's mobile Geo-Compliance service reduces developer complexity for implementing advanced geo-compliance security features."

The Appdome Geo Compliance solution focuses on protecting the mobile device’s in-built location services, eliminating the need for third-party networks, software development kits (SDKs), or complex server-based implementations. This approach ensures the service operates even if the device is not network-connected.

According to Tom Tovar, co-creator and CEO of Appdome, "Offering a broad range of mobile Geo Compliance features under a single pane of glass with other security and anti-fraud defenses is a game changer. These added Geo-Fraud defenses showcase how the Appdome platform is uniquely extensible and allows brands, developers, and enterprises to solve multiple mobile app defense objectives simultaneously in the same automated workflow."

The full Appdome Mobile Geo-Compliance solution aims to end geo-fraud by detecting fake locations, fake GPS apps, fraudulent locations, VPN usage, no SIM (fake device), teleportation, Geo DeSync, and other attacks. Customers can select the required Geo-Compliance features in any Android or iOS app and initiate the build command using the Appdome platform’s "Build My App" button. Appdome’s patented technology uses machine learning to implement these defences into each application, simplifying the process for mobile developers.

Chris Roeckl, Chief Product Officer of Appdome, said, "Compliance was the early driver for our geo-fraud solution, but now there's so much more customers are getting out of it. Stopping location-fraud and ensuring valid, real location in mobile applications is universal across every Android and iOS app, whether it's a streaming, dating, restaurant, retail, gig economy or other app. True location is what we deliver in these mobile apps."

The Appdome Geo-Compliance solution also includes advanced telemetry and customised responses or workflows for detected geo-compliance threats. It can monitor geo-fraud attacks via the Appdome ThreatScope Mobile XDR, either before or after the deployment of geo-location defences through the Appdome platform.