I'm writing an iPad game that sends hi-score type data (ie data beyond what Game Center supports) to a Google appengine datastore. It sends these updates via http GET or POST requests, such as http://myapp.appspot.com/game/hiscore/925818
Here is how I thought to ensure the appengine datastore isn't spammed with false data.
zip/encrypt the payload data using hardcoded p@ssw0rd saved in the iOS binary. Encode that binary data as base64. Pass base64 payload in the url query string or in the POST data. At handler, unbase64, then unzip data with p@ssw0rd. Follow instructions in payload to update highscore-type data.
CON: If p@ssw0rd is somehow derived from the iOS binary, this scheme can be defeated.
Is this adequate/sufficient? Is there another way to do this?
Ok me, there are 2 methods to do this.
1) Purchase an SSL certificate for $FREE.99 and open HTTPS connections only to your server to submit hiscore type data. Connection speed should be around 500 ms due to handshake roundtrip time.
2) Embed an RSA public key certificate in your iOS app, and have the RSA private key on your server.
You can then do 1 of 2 things with this second scheme:
IF your data messages are really small (≤256 B) you can just encrypt and send 256B packages (RSA payload is limited by the number of bits in the key)
ELSE IF the data is too large (>256B), generate a random symmetric key (AES), and pack:
The server then takes the first 256 bytes and decodes it, then the server uses that AES key to decrypt the rest of the message.
The above 2 only prevent eavesdropping, but it means the data format of your messages is hidden. At some level, it is still a type of security by obscurity, since if the hacker has your public key AND your message format, they can manufacture messages.