[Workshop] Attestation API on Quest: a quick, practical guide (+ sample repo)
If you ship on Meta Quest, you’ve probably worried about piracy, tampering, or weird builds floating around. Attestation helps you check that the app binary is legitimate, the device looks healthy, and the install came from the store. It’s not magic bullet solution, but it raises the cost of cheating and makes abuse a lot easier to spot.
What attestation is (and isn’t)
Attestation: a server-validated integrity check. It confirms your app and device meet Meta’s standards, and that the install is real.
Entitlement: a basic ownership check. Still useful, just easier to bypass on its own.
Reality check: treat attestation as one layer in your security stack, alongside entitlement checks, server-auth gameplay, and analytics.
High Level Overview
Your server creates a nonce (a one-time challenge).
The Quest client requests an attestation token from Meta using that nonce.
Meta returns a signed token to the client.
The client posts { token, nonce } to your server.
Your server verifies the token with Meta, reads the claims, and applies your rules.
If it passes, let the session in. If not, block or degrade gracefully.
Heads up: attestation needs an internet connection. Plan a friendly message and a fallback for offline players.
Why it matters
Binary integrity: catch modified or repackaged APKs.
Device signals: flag compromised environments.
Legit installs: filter out sideloaded copies and sketchy sessions.
Try a working sample
I put together a small (naive) end-to-end setup with a Unity client and a tiny backend that verifies the token and returns a simple pass or fail.
GitHub: Meta-Horizon-Start-Program/AttestationWorkshop
It’s intentionally minimal so you can see the full loop. Start here, then harden for production.
Quick start
Clone the repo
Open the Unity project and skim the README for config notes.
Spin up the backend
Host anywhere you like. You need an endpoint that accepts { token, nonce }, calls Meta’s integrity API, and returns a verdict.
Wire up the client
Request a token with a secure nonce, then send both to your server. Cache successful results for a sensible period to cut down on repeat calls.
Build to device
Test on a Quest. Make sure your app is registered in the Meta Developer Dashboard and that the platform plugin is set up correctly.
Verify the round trip
Check logs or on-screen UI. Confirm success, then test failure cases and your fallback UX.
Tips from the trenches
Use defense in depth: keep entitlement checks and server-side authority. Attestation is a signal, not a single gate.
Re-attest with intent: on app updates, device changes, or suspicious behavior. Don’t hammer the service every launch without reason.
Handle offline kindly: allow a short grace period or limited mode, then re-check when the network returns.
Watch your numbers: compare active users to sales and installs. Sudden gaps often point to abuse.
Decide on consequences: block, rate-limit, or switch to a demo mode when verification fails.
That’s it. Grab the sample, get the loop running, and tune the rules to fit your game’s risk profile. The goal is simple: keep things smooth for real players, and add friction for everyone else.
