How to Detect Hooking (Frida) on Flutter

Protect your Flutter app from runtime attacks like Frida and Xposed with smart detection.

Imagine your app's security is a locked vault. What if an attacker could pick the lock and alter its contents while it's actively being used? That, in essence, is what a hooking attack does. This runtime threat is particularly dangerous for Flutter apps, but you can defend against it effectively.

What is Hooking?

Hooking is a technique where attackers use tools like Frida “intercept” and modify your app's normal operations as they happen. Think of it like a spy intercepting a mail carrier, reading a sensitive message, and even changing it before it's delivered.

This gives attackers the power to:

• Disable security measures, such as license checks or in-app purchase validations.

• Extract secrets like API keys directly from your app's memory.

• Inject malicious code to commit fraud or steal user data.

Attackers often target the native Swift or Kotlin code within a Flutter application to manipulate its behavior.

How common is hooking?

About 0.05% of devices are hooked. That may sound small, but at global scale it still means millions of devices. If your app handles sensitive data, you can’t ignore this risk.

Number of Hooked Devices (source: Talsec)

Check out our live global stats at my.talsec.app

How to Detect Hooking?

You might be tempted to build your own defenses, like searching for frida-server processes or blocking suspicious network ports. Unfortunately, these simple checks rarely work for long. The developers of hooking frameworks are constantly updating their tools to be stealthier and evade these exact kinds of naive detections.

This creates a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game—one that requires constant vigilance and deep expertise. That's why relying on a specialized security SDK is the safer and more effective choice.

DIY Coding Guide

You can implement yourself simple Frida server detection. Frida often uses ports like 27042 and 27043.

import 'dart:io';

Future<bool> detectFridaPorts() async {
  final portsToCheck = [27042, 27043];

  for (var port in portsToCheck) {
    try {
      final socket = await Socket.connect("127.0.0.1", port,
          timeout: const Duration(milliseconds: 200));

      socket.destroy();
      print("Frida-like service detected on port $port");
      return true;
    } catch (_) {
      // Port not open, ignore
    }
  }
  return false;
}

Use freeRASP (free library by Talsec)

With freeRASP, the hook detection utilizes hundreds of advanced checks, offering robust detection even with bypass scripts applied.

• Process-name checks, suspicious open ports, injected or loaded Frida-related libraries, modified memory maps, abnormal function hooks and our secret sauce.

• Very strong detections including root and jailbreak detections (Magisk, Dopamine)

• Actively maintained

• Works offline with minimal performance overhead

• Comes with 14 extra detections like app integrity, root/jailbreak, emulators, debugging, screenshots, etc.

• Trusted by 6000+ apps worldwide

Integration Example

Add the freeRASP in your project, focus on implementing the following callback:

final threatCallback = ThreatCallback(
      onHooks: () => print('Hooking detected'),
      ...
);

Talsec.attachListener(...);
Talsec.instance.start(...);

Commercial Alternatives

When evaluating mobile app security and Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP), developers often compare various Talsec alternatives to find the right fit for their architecture. The "right choice" depends on the specific problem you need to tackle and which vendor offers the best bang for your buck.

The market is diverse, offering different philosophical approaches to protection. Talsec prioritizes top-tier root detection and a balanced security SDK portfolio covering the most popular attack vectors. Meanwhile, some vendors specialize primarily in heavy code obfuscation and compiler-based hardening, while others focus on a drag-and-drop (no-code) integration experience for DevOps-oriented teams. There are also solutions dedicated specifically to API security, active cloud hardening, enterprise compliance, or gaming protection. The most prominent providers include Guardsquare, Appdome, Promon, Build38, Approov, and AppSealing.

Key Takeaway

Hooking attacks using tools like Frida can intercept and modify app behavior in real time, exposing sensitive data and disabling protections. Detection doesn’t have to be DIY or error-prone—simple port checks are easily bypassed. Tools like freeRASP provide reliable, continuously updated detection with hundreds of advanced checks, letting you respond proactively to runtime threats.

👉 If you want hooking detection plus root, jailbreak, emulator, debugging, screenshot, and tampering protection in one free package, start with freeRASP by Talsec.

Handle App Security with a Single Solution! Check Out Talsec's Premium Offer & Plan Comparison!

Plans Comparison

https://www.talsec.app/plans-comparison

Premium Products:

• RASP+ - An advanced security SDK that actively shields your app from reverse engineering, tampering, rooting/jailbreaking, and runtime attacks like hooking or debugging.

• AppiCrypt (Android & iOS) & AppiCrypt for Web - A backend defense system that verifies the integrity of the calling app and device to block bots, scripts, and unauthorized clients from accessing your API.

• Malware Detection - Scans the user's device for known malicious packages, suspicious "clones," and risky permissions to prevent fraud and data theft.

• Dynamic TLS Pinning - Prevents Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks by validating server certificates that can be updated remotely without needing to publish a new app version.

• Secret Vault - A secure storage solution that encrypts and obfuscates sensitive data (like API keys or tokens) to prevent them from being extracted during reverse engineering.