How to secure my app against piracy

Question

I am developing an android app and I am planning to publish it (paid app). I have heard that it is very easy to pirate Android apps (much easier than iphone). I was wonderin

Answer 1

You could add tamper checks combined with obfuscation to alert user/disable functionality /report to server if the app has been pirated. I use DexGuard for hardened obfuscation.

Tamper checks

• Installer app - Use package manager to ensure the installing app is the play/amazon app store
• Emulator check - Check system properties for telltale signs the app is being run on emulator which outside of dev could indicate attack/tampering
• Debuggable check - Use package manager to check the debuggable flag, this should be off in product so could indicate attack/tampering
• Signing certificate check - Use package manager to verify the app is signed with your developer certificate (this would be broken if someone unpacked and repacked/resigned the app)

update: Since answering this question, I've written a more detailed article on tamper detection.