How to Detect Developer Mode on Android using Kotlin

Struggling to protect your app from Developer Mode risks? Here’s how to fight back.

Developer Mode (or Developer Options) on Android is a handy tool for testing apps—but in the wrong hands, it’s a gateway for reverse engineering, debugging, and tampering. If attackers run your app in Developer Mode, they can more easily analyze or modify its behavior. Luckily, SDKs can detect and block this threat for you.

What is Developer Mode?

Developer Mode is a built-in Android setting that unlocks advanced debugging features. While useful for legitimate testing, it also lowers the security barrier for attackers. With Developer Options enabled, attackers can:

• Attach a debugger and inspect runtime data.

• Use USB debugging to inject commands or bypass protections.

• Modify system behaviors that apps normally rely on for safety.

Statistics

Our data shows that around 2% of devices have developer mode enabled.

Global Threat Rate for Developer Mode (source my.talsec.app)

More actual global data can be found at Talsec portal.

freeRASP (by Talsec)

• Actively maintained (changelog)

• Comes with 14 extra detections like app integrity, Frida and hooking, emulators, debugging, screenshots, etc.

• Used by 6000+ apps; #1 Mobile RASP SDK by popularity (link)

Integration Example:

private val deviceStateListener = object : ThreatListener.DeviceState {
    ...
    override fun onDeveloperModeDetected() {
        TODO("Not yet implemented")
    }
}