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Key Hiding

SDK Version Selection

Choose your SDK version below:

  • Apptrove SDK → Recommended for all projects (Latest: v2.x.x)
  • Trackier SDK → Will be deprecated in August 2026 (v1.x.xx)

Use the tabs below to view Key Hiding code for your chosen SDK.

Protect sensitive Apptrove SDK credentials (SDK Key, Secret ID, Secret Key) by storing them securely using iOS Keychain Services. This prevents keys from being exposed in plain text within your app's source code, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and fraudulent activities.

Purpose​

Key hiding is essential for securing your Apptrove SDK integration:

  • Safeguard SDK Key, Secret ID, and Secret Key from reverse engineering
  • Store credentials in iOS Keychain Services for maximum security
  • Automatically retrieve keys during app initialization
  • Provide fallback mechanisms for key management
  • Prevent fraudulent activities by securing SDK credentials
note

This feature works in conjunction with SDK Signing to provide comprehensive security for your Trackier SDK integration.

Prerequisites​

  • Apptrove SDK: iOS SDK properly integrated
  • iOS: Version 12.0 or later
  • Xcode: Latest version
  • Trackier Panel: SDK Key, Secret ID, and Secret Key retrieved
  • Permissions: Internet access

Implementation​

Follow these steps to implement secure key storage in your iOS app:

Step 1: Add Keychain Services​

Import the Security framework in your project:

AppDelegate.swift
import UIKit
import Security
import ApptroveSDK // or import apptrove_ios_sdk

Step 2: Create Secure Storage Service​

Create a service to handle secure storage operations using iOS Keychain:

SecureStorageService.swift
import Foundation
import Security

class SecureStorageService {
    static let shared = SecureStorageService()
    
    private let serviceName = "com.trackier.sdk"
    private let accountName = "trackier_credentials"
    
    private init() {}
    
    // Store the Trackier SDK key securely
    func storeTrackierKey(_ key: String) -> Bool {
        return store(key: key, for: "trackier_sdk_key")
    }
    
    // Retrieve the Trackier SDK key securely
    func getTrackierKey() -> String? {
        return retrieve(for: "trackier_sdk_key")
    }
    
    // Store the Secret ID securely
    func storeSecretId(_ secretId: String) -> Bool {
        return store(key: secretId, for: "trackier_secret_id")
    }
    
    // Retrieve the Secret ID securely
    func getSecretId() -> String? {
        return retrieve(for: "trackier_secret_id")
    }
    
    // Store the Secret Key securely
    func storeSecretKey(_ secretKey: String) -> Bool {
        return store(key: secretKey, for: "trackier_secret_key")
    }
    
    // Retrieve the Secret Key securely
    func getSecretKey() -> String? {
        return retrieve(for: "trackier_secret_key")
    }
    
    // Clear all stored credentials
    func clearAllCredentials() {
        let keys = ["trackier_sdk_key", "trackier_secret_id", "trackier_secret_key"]
        for key in keys {
            delete(for: key)
        }
    }
    
    // Private methods for Keychain operations
    private func store(key: String, for identifier: String) -> Bool {
        guard let data = key.data(using: .utf8) else { return false }
        
        let query: [String: Any] = [
            kSecClass as String: kSecClassGenericPassword,
            kSecAttrService as String: serviceName,
            kSecAttrAccount as String: identifier,
            kSecValueData as String: data,
            kSecAttrAccessible as String: kSecAttrAccessibleWhenUnlockedThisDeviceOnly
        ]
        
        // Delete existing item before adding new one
        SecItemDelete(query as CFDictionary)
        
        let status = SecItemAdd(query as CFDictionary, nil)
        
        // Handle specific error cases
        switch status {
        case errSecSuccess:
            return true
        case errSecDuplicateItem:
            // Try to update existing item
            let updateQuery: [String: Any] = [
                kSecClass as String: kSecClassGenericPassword,
                kSecAttrService as String: serviceName,
                kSecAttrAccount as String: identifier
            ]
            let updateAttributes: [String: Any] = [
                kSecValueData as String: data
            ]
            let updateStatus = SecItemUpdate(updateQuery as CFDictionary, updateAttributes as CFDictionary)
            return updateStatus == errSecSuccess
        default:
            print("Keychain store error: \(status)")
            return false
        }
    }
    
    private func retrieve(for identifier: String) -> String? {
        let query: [String: Any] = [
            kSecClass as String: kSecClassGenericPassword,
            kSecAttrService as String: serviceName,
            kSecAttrAccount as String: identifier,
            kSecReturnData as String: true,
            kSecMatchLimit as String: kSecMatchLimitOne
        ]
        
        var result: AnyObject?
        let status = SecItemCopyMatching(query as CFDictionary, &result)
        
        switch status {
        case errSecSuccess:
            guard let data = result as? Data,
                  let string = String(data: data, encoding: .utf8) else {
                return nil
            }
            return string
        case errSecItemNotFound:
            return nil
        default:
            print("Keychain retrieve error: \(status)")
            return nil
        }
    }
    
    private func delete(for identifier: String) {
        let query: [String: Any] = [
            kSecClass as String: kSecClassGenericPassword,
            kSecAttrService as String: serviceName,
            kSecAttrAccount as String: identifier
        ]
        
        SecItemDelete(query as CFDictionary)
    }
}

Step 3: Create App Configuration​

Create a configuration class to manage default values and app settings:

AppConfig.swift
import ApptroveSDK // or import apptrove_ios_sdk

struct AppConfig {
    // Replace these with your actual Apptrove SDK credentials
    // IMPORTANT: Remove these keys after first run - they will be stored securely
    static let defaultAppTroveKey = "YOUR_K_SDK_KEY_HERE"
    static let defaultSecretId = "YOUR_SECRET_ID_HERE"
    static let defaultSecretKey = "YOUR_SECRET_KEY_HERE"
    
    // Environment configuration - use AppTroveSDKConfig constants
    static let environment = AppTroveSDKConfig.ENV_DEVELOPMENT // or AppTroveSDKConfig.ENV_PRODUCTION
}

Step 4: Update App Delegate​

Update your AppDelegate.swift to use secure storage for key management:

AppDelegate.swift
import UIKit
import Security
import ApptroveSDK // or import apptrove_ios_sdk

@main
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {

    func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {
        
        initAppTroveSDK()
        return true
    }
    
    private func initAppTroveSDK() {
        // Get the Apptrove key from secure storage
        var appTroveKey = SecureStorageService.shared.getTrackierKey() // Reusing the same service method for simplicity
        var secretId = SecureStorageService.shared.getSecretId()
        var secretKey = SecureStorageService.shared.getSecretKey()
        
        // If no keys are stored, use default keys and store them securely
        if appTroveKey == nil {
            appTroveKey = AppConfig.defaultAppTroveKey
            SecureStorageService.shared.storeTrackierKey(appTroveKey!)
            print("Using default Apptrove key: \(appTroveKey!)")
        } else {
            print("Retrieved Apptrove key from secure storage: \(appTroveKey!)")
        }
        
        if secretId == nil {
            secretId = AppConfig.defaultSecretId
            SecureStorageService.shared.storeSecretId(secretId!)
            print("Using default Secret ID: \(secretId!)")
        } else {
            print("Retrieved Secret ID from secure storage: \(secretId!)")
        }
        
        if secretKey == nil {
            secretKey = AppConfig.defaultSecretKey
            SecureStorageService.shared.storeSecretKey(secretKey!)
            print("Using default Secret Key: \(secretKey!)")
        } else {
            print("Retrieved Secret Key from secure storage: \(secretKey!)")
        }
        
        // Configure SDK with secure credentials
        let config = AppTroveSDKConfig(appToken: appTroveKey!, env: AppConfig.environment)
        
        // Set app secrets for SDK signing
        config.setAppSecret(secretId: secretId!, secretKey: secretKey!)
        
        // Initialize SDK
        AppTroveSDK.initialize(config: config)
        
        print("Apptrove SDK initialized successfully with secure credentials")
    }
}

Reference: This is reference we add library and add key and show in logs after first launch remove the key it will store locally.

Key Management​

Updating Keys​

To update your SDK keys:

  1. Update in Trackier Panel: First, update your keys in the Trackier Panel
  2. Clear Stored Keys: Use the clear function to remove old keys: 
    SecureStorageService.shared.clearAllCredentials()
  3. Update AppConfig: Temporarily update the default keys in AppConfig.swift: 
    static let defaultTrackierKey = "YOUR_NEW_SDK_KEY"
    static let defaultSecretId = "YOUR_NEW_SECRET_ID"
    static let defaultSecretKey = "YOUR_NEW_SECRET_KEY"
  4. Run the App: The new keys will be stored securely on first run
  5. Remove from AppConfig: Once keys are stored, remove them from AppConfig.swift: 
    static let defaultTrackierKey = "" // Remove after first run
    static let defaultSecretId = "" // Remove after first run
    static let defaultSecretKey = "" // Remove after first run

Removing Keys from AppConfig​

Important: After the first successful run, remove your actual keys from AppConfig.swift and replace them with empty strings or placeholder values:

AppConfig.swift
struct AppConfig {
    // Remove actual keys after first run - they will be stored securely
    static let defaultTrackierKey = "" // Remove after first run
    static let defaultSecretId = "" // Remove after first run
    static let defaultSecretKey = "" // Remove after first run
    
    // Environment configuration
    static let environment = "development" // or "production"
}

This ensures that your actual keys are never committed to version control and are only stored in the device's secure storage.

Security Features​

iOS Keychain Services​

The iOS Keychain provides:

  • Hardware Encryption: Uses Secure Enclave when available
  • Access Control: Keys are only accessible when device is unlocked
  • Device Bound: Keys are tied to the specific device
  • Automatic Encryption: All data is automatically encrypted

Key Management​

  • Automatic Storage: Keys are automatically stored when first accessed
  • Secure Retrieval: Keys are retrieved from iOS Keychain
  • Fallback Mechanism: Default keys are used if Keychain is empty
  • Clear Function: Ability to clear all stored credentials

Best Practices​

  1. Never Hardcode Keys: Always use Keychain instead of hardcoding credentials
  2. Use Environment Variables: Store default keys in environment-specific configuration
  3. Regular Key Rotation: Periodically update your SDK keys in the Trackier Panel
  4. Error Handling: Implement proper error handling for Keychain operations
  5. Access Control: Use appropriate accessibility levels for your use case

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

  1. Keys Not Stored: Ensure Keychain Services are properly configured
  2. Permission Errors: Check that your app has proper entitlements
  3. Initialization Failures: Verify that your SDK keys are correct and valid
  4. Simulator Issues: Keychain behavior may differ in iOS Simulator

Debug Information​

Enable debug logging to troubleshoot issues:

// Add this to your initTrackierSDK method for debugging
print("Debug: Checking Keychain...")
let storedKey = SecureStorageService.shared.getTrackierKey()
print("Debug: Stored key exists: \(storedKey != nil)")

Next Steps​

After implementing key hiding:

  1. Test the Integration: Verify that events are being tracked correctly
  2. Monitor Dashboard: Check your Trackier Panel for incoming data
  3. Implement Events: Add custom event tracking throughout your app
  4. Security Review: Regularly review and update your security practices

Support​

For further assistance with key hiding implementation: