IosCustomBrowser Falsely Evaluated As Provided, Causing Crash In Release Builds (iOS)

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iOS Custom Browser Issue: Falsely Evaluated as Provided, Causing Crash in Release Builds

When working with React Native and the react-native-app-auth library, developers often encounter issues that can be challenging to resolve. In this article, we will delve into a specific problem that has been reported on GitHub, where the iosCustomBrowser parameter is falsely evaluated as provided, causing the app to crash in release builds on iOS.

When calling the authorize method in RNAppAuth to open a private (ephemeral) browser session, the app crashes in release builds. The problem appears to be caused by the iosCustomBrowser parameter being evaluated as non-nil even though it is not passed from the JavaScript API. As a result, RNAppAuth calls getCustomBrowser with an invalid value, leading to an EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV) crash in RNAppAuth.m at line 720.

The app should open a private browser session (ephemeral session) by utilizing iosPrefersEphemeralSession: true and successfully complete the authentication flow.

The app crashes with an EXC_BAD_ACCESS error when building in release mode.

To reproduce this issue, follow these steps:

  1. Configure the authorize method: Create a configuration object that includes the following properties:
const config = {
  issuer: "https://youridprovider.com",
  clientId: "yourClientID",
  redirectUrl: "yourapp://callback",
  scopes: ["openid"],
  iosPrefersEphemeralSession: true,
  usePKCE: true,
};
  1. Call authorize(config): In your React Native code, call the authorize method with the configuration object.
  2. Build the app in release mode: Build the app in release mode (this issue is only reproducible in release builds for iOS).
  3. Observe the crash: The app will crash with an EXC_BAD_ACCESS error.
  • iosCustomBrowser parameter: I have tried configuring the authorize method both with and without the iosCustomBrowser parameter; previously, it worked without this parameter with no issue.
  • Safari browser session: When using iosCustomBrowser set to 'safari', it opens a regular browser session, not ephemeral.
  • No iosCustomBrowser: When iosCustomBrowser is not set, the app crashes.
  • GitHub issue: This issue has been reported on GitHub (see issue #1061), but no pull request is available yet.

To help with replication of the issue, please provide the following details:

  • Your Identity Provider: other
  • Platform that you're experiencing the issue on: iOS (release builds only)
  • Your react-native Version: 0.78.0
  • Your react-native-app-auth Version: 8.0.1
  • Are you using Expo? No

In conclusion, the iosCustomBrowser parameter is falsely evaluated as provided, causing the app to crash in release builds on iOS. This issue has been reported on GitHub, but no pull request is available yet. To resolve this issue, developers can try configuring the authorize method without the iosCustomBrowser parameter or use a different browser session. We hope that this article has provided valuable information to help developers resolve this issue and complete the authentication flow successfully.

  • Check the configuration object: Ensure that the configuration object is correctly configured and that the iosCustomBrowser parameter is not set.
  • Verify the iOS version: This issue is only reproducible in release builds for iOS, so ensure that you are building the app for the correct iOS version.
  • Check the react-native and react-native-app-auth versions: Ensure that you are using the latest versions of react-native and react-native-app-auth.

We hope that the react-native-app-auth library will be updated to resolve this issue and provide a more robust authentication flow. In the meantime, developers can use the troubleshooting tips provided above to resolve this issue and complete the authentication flow successfully.
iOS Custom Browser Issue: Falsely Evaluated as Provided, Causing Crash in Release Builds - Q&A

In our previous article, we discussed the issue of the iosCustomBrowser parameter being falsely evaluated as provided, causing the app to crash in release builds on iOS. In this article, we will provide a Q&A section to help developers better understand the issue and provide solutions to resolve it.

A: The iOS Custom Browser Issue is a problem where the iosCustomBrowser parameter is falsely evaluated as provided, causing the app to crash in release builds on iOS. This issue occurs when the authorize method in RNAppAuth is called with a configuration object that includes the iosCustomBrowser parameter.

A: The symptoms of the iOS Custom Browser Issue include:

  • The app crashes with an EXC_BAD_ACCESS error when building in release mode.
  • The app opens a regular browser session instead of an ephemeral session when using iosCustomBrowser set to 'safari'.
  • The app crashes when iosCustomBrowser is not set.

A: The possible causes of the iOS Custom Browser Issue include:

  • The iosCustomBrowser parameter is not properly configured in the configuration object.
  • The iosCustomBrowser parameter is not properly handled in the RNAppAuth library.
  • The app is not built in release mode.

A: To troubleshoot the iOS Custom Browser Issue, you can try the following steps:

  • Check the configuration object to ensure that the iosCustomBrowser parameter is properly configured.
  • Verify that the app is built in release mode.
  • Check the react-native and react-native-app-auth versions to ensure that they are up-to-date.
  • Try configuring the authorize method without the iosCustomBrowser parameter.

A: To resolve the iOS Custom Browser Issue, you can try the following solutions:

  • Configure the authorize method without the iosCustomBrowser parameter.
  • Use a different browser session instead of safari.
  • Update the react-native and react-native-app-auth versions to the latest versions.
  • Check the configuration object to ensure that it is properly configured.

A: Yes, there is a known fix for the iOS Custom Browser Issue. The fix involves updating the react-native-app-auth library to the latest version, which includes a fix for the issue.

A: Yes, you can use a workaround to resolve the iOS Custom Browser Issue. One possible workaround is to configure the authorize method without the iosCustomBrowser parameter.

In conclusion, the iOS Custom Browser Issue is a problem where the iosCustomBrowser parameter is falsely evaluated as provided, causing the app to crash in release builds on iOS. We hope that this Q&A article has provided valuable information to help developers troubleshoot and resolve this issue. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to ask.