[Q] App with root privileges and monitoring of applications - Security Discussion

Hey guys,
firstly I've read the rules and I believe here is the right place to ask that, but if not, please correct me as I'm a new user of the forum.
Well, I'm doing a research related with privacy in Android. I need build an application that can monitoring when another application
send sms in background for example. So I'm trying analyse the possibilities to do that using a application with root privileges or if in
last case, take a ROM and modify it.
My question is: what a rooted application can if fact do? For example, can I have access to the process in executions and know
what they are doing?
And another thing is, I'm starting search about the using of critical data for applications, like location data. As I'm starting, someone can
please guide do in how to know when a application require this kind of critical data? In the level of what should I search for or some link
related with that?
Thank you for now
Pablo

Related

[Q] Permissions on application

Hello,
sorry if it looks like : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=778743
I do not know if I'm in the right place to ask this question, but after reading the topics .. I go:
Here I am doing an application that may require a lot of potential permissions.
This application has a rather abstract but can offer services with different permissions.
I understand that the concept of permission "request to have confidence."
My question: is it possible to configure the user's request permissions to accept?
Example:
You want to install the application APPLI:
Do you agree that it accesses your contacts? => Yes / no answer
Do you agree that it sends SMS? => Yes / no answer
Do you agree that it accesses the internet? => Yes / no answer
...
But still install the application at the end, taking into account acceptances because it can provide services without permission.
I hope I was clear enough.
Thank you in advance for your help

[Q] Is there an easy way to add a dummy service to an existing application? (for oom)

Hello world,
yes, I used the search function.
Background: (you may wish to skip to the question)
I'm a multitasker and I don't like Android killing my browser if I use one or two other applications for a minute or so, because I lose all my tabs content that way. While that isn't bad having a good network connection, it is real bad in subway train where I usally read news by phone and the internet connection is very bad.
So I tried many different things in order to prevent android from killing my browser, and finally I found a solution in the opera forum:
(I really would like to link you there, but: "To prevent spam on the XDA forums, ALL new users prevented from posting outside links in their messages. After approximately 10 posts, you will be able to post outside links. Thank you for understanding!")
knumsole wrote in Opera forum:
Here, take this: (sorry, can't post link, see above)
This is Opera Mobile 11.5.3, (...). I repackaged it with a dummy service which increases the OOM priority of the application. This will very effectively prevent Android from killing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
(google for the complete sentences in that quote will lead you there.)
Adding this dummy service changed the applications oom priority from about 7 to 10 (--> gets killed soon to first) to an oom priority of 2 (which is totally stable for me).
[ooms read by auto memory manager.]
Question:
Is there a relative easy way to add a dummy service to an existing application? Such as "knumsole" did described before? (I tried contacting him, but wasn't successful)
I'd like to be able to do that myself, e.g. if I need a newer version of the browser. With "easy", I mean: I'm not an application developer, and I don't intend to become one. But I am able to extract an .apk file and modify text files in there and so. And if it is necessary, I would also compile that, too.
I use Android 4.1.2 on a rooted Samsung Galaxy S2.
Thank you!
* (more than) 24h bump *
24h bump
*bump*

[Q] security for android - beginner friendly how to?

hi all!
please note: i am nothing near a professional user or even coder! i rooted my phone and i install custom roms on it, and thats about it. in addition to that i am concerned about my privacy. for me it started with the LBE Privacy Guard from the play store, it was quite nice until it stopped working, and made my phone stuck in a boot loop...
i have read and searched a lot of stuff before i decided to write this. but i havent found an easy and understandable how to. maybe that is because there no easy way to this. please go easy on me if there is already a thread for this...
i just installed openpdroid on my samsung galaxy s+ (i9001) and that is just because user bululu has made a patch for the rom i am using (cm10.1 from user davidteri) - thanks to both of them! i installed the patch with cwm (clockworkmod) and afterwards i was wondering there is no privacy setting in my menu or anything that would let me set up permissions. but from all the stuff i was reading before i figured i will need some kind of gui (not sure this is the right word - that goes for most of the stuff, but please correct me where u can, i will try and learn) so i installed 'pdroid manager' from the play store. that would finally let me set permissions for the apps! so far, so good. i am now using openpdroid...
should be all good at this point u might think, but this is where my questions begin ^^ f.ex:
is this the best solution atm? are there more solutions? what are the differences? what can u recommend?
furthermore i try to figure out how to encrypt email on android. most things i read point to k9 mail and using agp (or apg? is this the same?). i did some research on that topic an it seems to be the 'android privacy guard'. more questions here too...
it seems to be out of development, since the last changes are from 25.12.2010. is there a newer alternative for that or something i missed? or maybe it is still the thing to use or it is quite finished in its current state?!? but i dont wanna clog my device with old or unsupported software until i am 99% sure on what to do...
so basically i am asking if there is a nice and user friendly (with images) 'how to' for this kind of stuff i was just missing or is it just impossible (at the current state) to do such thing? if both answers are 'no' i'd like to start something like that, of course with your help that is...
because it seems the info i found is not coherent, its all bits and pieces one needs to bring together (in the right order and with compatible software). at least thats what it feels like for me as non-professional user and linux noob. i have no problem with puzzling stuff together but i also would like to help others who would like to do increase their security and get different opinions on whats the best way to do some things...
so if any of u got an opinion to any of the above please let me know! and help or links would be greatly appreciated! lets see if we can bring some things together and make our devices, our communication and our data more secure! and please note: this should not be device specific, my device and rom was just for information and for better understanding my starting point. this should be as broadly defined and open minded as possible. so everybody could partake and make use of it...
thanks for reading!
kind regards
bad1080

[Q] Total NOOB needs some help :)

Hi all,
My name is Fabian, and I have a strong background in C. (Done a CS course in C).
I want to do an Android app for my final project(nothing too fancy or complicated but I have to at least have some interface ) and I'm a little stuck with how to proceed from here.
I watched the Java essential course on Lynda and I did understand a little the difference between C in Java, however I don't know how to proceed from here to actual Android development.
If anyone can recommend me finding a crash course, a book or any other resource that could get me up and running as soon as possible, I would really appreciate it.
I don't mind spending money on it.
Thanks in advance.
Fabian
fabiansc said:
Hi all,
My name is Fabian, and I have a strong background in C. (Done a CS course in C).
I want to do an Android app for my final project(nothing too fancy or complicated but I have to at least have some interface ) and I'm a little stuck with how to proceed from here.
I watched the Java essential course on Lynda and I did understand a little the difference between C in Java, however I don't know how to proceed from here to actual Android development.
If anyone can recommend me finding a crash course, a book or any other resource that could get me up and running as soon as possible, I would really appreciate it.
I don't mind spending money on it.
Thanks in advance.
Fabian
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A great resource for Android development is the official Android training documentation from Google, as well as these tutorials. Let me know if you still have questions I'll be happy to help.
thanks little question regrading databases
shimp208 said:
A great resource for Android development is the official Android training documentation from Google, as well as these tutorials. Let me know if you still have questions I'll be happy to help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Thanks for your help I learned a lot and I'm already planning my app
I just have one question that could really help.
I want to make an app where people on different devices can interact and send each other tasks. I guess I need a kind of SQL server that supports Android, right? Is there a better or at least more economic way to do it if I will have around 1000 users where each one can add people to send tasks to?
Many thanks,
Fabian
And one more question
Is there any way to do a phone number authentication (like Whatsapp) instead of user name and password which I think is a little to tedious for my planned app ?
Thanks in advance
Hola, for the task sending. Would you like to make all task public? Or should you send it like a message?
But when i need access to a server, i use php scripts. But we can take that later, when you have answered my last question
For the phone number authentication, you have to have a online database, with all phone numbers. User inserts their phone number, the first time they starts the app. Then you can retrieve it from the database. But we can also take that later.
I´m glad if i helped.
(Sorry for my bad english.. )
Hola
Well I want it to be like a manager that gives a task to his employee. I want the task to be between them and only they can close it.
Likewise, it would be a problem if I make a simple phone number insertion if there's no validation. I was thinking about a number verification (like whatsapp) to prevent other people from accessing the tasks.
Do you think it's possible or should I go with username and password?
Thanks
fabiansc said:
Hi,
Thanks for your help I learned a lot and I'm already planning my app
I just have one question that could really help.
I want to make an app where people on different devices can interact and send each other tasks. I guess I need a kind of SQL server that supports Android, right? Is there a better or at least more economic way to do it if I will have around 1000 users where each one can add people to send tasks to?
Many thanks,
Fabian
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am using OpenShift - https://www.openshift.com/developers - which is a open source cloud architecture in that they offer packages like NodeJS and DB's. They allow you to have 'gears' which I guess is their name for services running on their cloud. The free account has 3 gears.
I currently only have a NodeJS server running to deliver files however (as far as I understand it) you can have MySQL and others as a backend. I would think that whatever devices you develop on would simply log into the DB and look up messages/tasks etc. I would also think that your app could insert those things. The best part is it is free until you reach Enterprise level or so. I would check it out since free is good. Offhand, I do not know what DB's Android supports via java but MySQL is probably one of them.
Just some info for you to examine.
Good luck
Hola, of course its possible! But maybe Username and Password is easiest.
You can use e-mail validation.
I actually worked on a application, there store products in databases. So i have tried it before. Ask if you are confused
And Sum1nil, sqlite is implemented in android, so for local database, use sqlite.
But for online database access, i use php

How to find the correct intent or activity name?

Hello community!
I use Shortcut Maker to create direct shortcuts for many of the activities, including some hidden ones. But all of these are already available under the Activities section or Intents section within the app.
Is it possible to create a shortcut for an activity not available in those sections?
For example, I want to create a shortcut to the 'Background Usage Limits section of the Device Care app on my Samsung phone. There is already an activity that takes me to this page:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
But I want to create a shortcut that takes me directly into the 'Background usage limits' section:
The app allows for editing intents:
But I don't know what to add/ edit here that will achieve the desired objective.
Can someone tell me how to find the activity/ intent name for the page I'm trying to launch directly using the shortcut?
Thanks.
TheMystic said:
Hello community!
I use Shortcut Maker to create direct shortcuts for many of the activities, including some hidden ones. But all of these are already available under the Activities section or Intents section within the app.
Is it possible to create a shortcut for an activity not available in those sections?
For example, I want to create a shortcut to the 'Background Usage Limits section of the Device Care app on my Samsung phone. There is already an activity that takes me to this page:
View attachment 5651309
But I want to create a shortcut that takes me directly into the 'Background usage limits' section:
View attachment 5651311
The app allows for editing intents:
View attachment 5651313
But I don't know what to add/ edit here that will achieve the desired objective.
Can someone tell me how to find the activity/ intent name for the page I'm trying to launch directly using the shortcut?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might be able to create a shortcut and use Tasker+shortcut to set up an automated action to open to the activity you want when you open the shortcut by creating the shortcut, then using Tasker to setup an automated process containing the sequence of actions it takes to open the app to the activity/page that you want then set the shortcut to run that automated process to open to the desired activity/page.
Or
The background usage limit activity/page is more than likely located in your system settings and the Device Care app just "links" you to it. Can you access that page by going through system settings somewhere instead of going through the Samsung Device Care app?
Droidriven said:
You might be able to create a shortcut and use Tasker+shortcut to set up an automated action to open to the activity you want when you open the shortcut by creating the shortcut, then using Tasker to setup an automated process containing the sequence of actions it takes to open the app to the activity/page that you want then set the shortcut to run that automated process to open to the desired activity/page.
Or
The background usage limit activity/page is more than likely located in your system settings and the Device Care app just "links" you to it. Can you access that page by going through system settings somewhere instead of going through the Samsung Device Care app?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Device Care app is deeply integrated with the System, and it is what handles this activity, i.e. there is no other way to access this page from System Settings.
Using Tasker for the method you described appears to be a setup that allows 'Accessibility' permissions to Tasker, plus it makes the whole setup unnecessarily complicated. Besides, I avoid using automation apps because they need to run continuously in the background, consuming RAM and battery.
Is there no way to find the exact 'intent' or 'activity' name for this process?
TheMystic said:
The Device Care app is deeply integrated with the System, and it is what handles this activity, i.e. there is no other way to access this page from System Settings.
Using Tasker for the method you described appears to be a setup that allows 'Accessibility' permissions to Tasker, plus it makes the whole setup unnecessarily complicated. Besides, I avoid using automation apps because they need to run continuously in the background, consuming RAM and battery.
Is there no way to find the exact 'intent' or 'activity' name for this process?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try the Disable Service app, it should list all your apps and the individual internal services/activities within each app. That should help you identify the activity that you want.
Droidriven said:
You can try the Disable Service app, it should list all your apps and the individual internal services/activities within each app. That should help you identify the activity that you want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you provide a link for that app?
Have you tried Shortcut Maker app? This too lists all activities per app and intents available. Does the app you suggest do anything more?
TheMystic said:
Can you provide a link for that app?
Have you tried Shortcut Maker app? This too lists all activities per app and intents available. Does the app you suggest do anything more?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why? It's in the Playstore, a Playstore search for :
Disable service
Will find it, it should be at the top of the list of results. I'm sure you can handle that by yourself without needing someone to hold your hand or spoonfeed you, right?
I'm not the one that needs the app, the OP of this thread does.
And....
If you read the first post in this thread, you will see that they are already using the Shortcut Maker app and it doesn't show/list the specific activity that they are looking for. The Disable Service app will probaly list activities that do not appear in Shortcut Maker.
You didn't even read the first post of this thread to understand the situation and you requested a link to an app that is extremely easy to find in the Playstore, both of these things are a bit lazy.
Droidriven said:
Why? It's in the Playstore, a Playstore search for :
Disable service
Will find it, it should be at the top of the list of results. I'm sure you can handle that by yourself without needing someone to hold your hand or spoonfeed you, right?
I'm not the one that needs the app, the OP of this thread does.
And....
If you read the first post in this thread, you will see that they are already using the Shortcut Maker app and it doesn't show/list the specific activity that they are looking for. The Disable Service app will probaly list activities that do not appear in Shortcut Maker.
You didn't even read the first post of this thread to understand the situation and you requested a link to an app that is extremely easy to find in the Playstore, both of these things are a bit lazy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm the OP.
Searching on Play Store did not list an app with the exact name that you wrote, and those that showed up with similar names, require root. My device isn't rooted.
Also, just wondering if it would have been easier to simply post the link than spend time typing so much, and that too addressing someone who doesn't exist. I'm assuming you has a bad day. Chill buddy.
TheMystic said:
I'm the OP.
Searching on Play Store did not list an app with the exact name that you wrote, and those that showed up with similar names, require root. My device isn't rooted.
Also, just wondering if it would have been easier to simply post the link than spend time typing so much, and that too addressing someone who doesn't exist. I'm assuming you has a bad day. Chill buddy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I didn't look at your name, also, asking me if I tried Shortcut Maker made it seem like another member was mistaking me for you, that is why I thought it was someone other than you. Why would you ask if I tried Shortcut Maker as if I were the one that needed it to achieve something I wanted? The way you worded yourself threw a wrench in things from my perspective, as if you were some random member coming in the thread and confusing me with you asking me if I had tried Shortcut Maker as if they hadn't read the first post and seen where you stated that you were already using Shortcut Maker and then asking for a link on top of that just seemed like someone that wanted to be spoonfed. We don't spoonfeed members here, it is even in the Forum Rules, members are expected to search for themselves and then ask only when they can't find anything themselves.
I've used both Shortcut Maker and the Disable Service app, though, the Disable Service no longer seems available, that must be something recent because I just searched for it when I suggested it to someone a few weeks ago. But the Service Disabler app should do the same thing. I know it is for rooted devices, it requires root to actuallu use the app to disable/modify the services, it does not need root to show the list of services/activities on/in your device/apps. I'm only telling you to use it as a tool to see/find the name of the service/activity name, then use that information to do whatever you were trying to do with the service/activity name as you asked in your first post. You can uninstall Service Disabler as soon as you find the name of the service/activity.
Droidriven said:
Sorry, I didn't look at your name, also, asking me if I tried Shortcut Maker made it seem like another member was mistaking me for you, that is why I thought it was someone other than you. Why would you ask if I tried Shortcut Maker as if I were the one that needed it to achieve something I wanted? The way you worded yourself threw a wrench in things from my perspective, as if you were some random member coming in the thread and confusing me with you asking me if I had tried Shortcut Maker as if they hadn't read the first post and seen where you stated that you were already using Shortcut Maker and then asking for a link on top of that just seemed like someone that wanted to be spoonfed. We don't spoonfeed members here, it is even in the Forum Rules, members are expected to search for themselves and then ask only when they can't find anything themselves.
I've used both Shortcut Maker and the Disable Service app, though, the Disable Service no longer seems available, that must be something recent because I just searched for it when I suggested it to someone a few weeks ago. But the Service Disabler app should do the same thing. I know it is for rooted devices, it requires root to actuallu use the app to disable/modify the services, it does not need root to show the list of services/activities on/in your device/apps. I'm only telling you to use it as a tool to see/find the name of the service/activity name, then use that information to do whatever you were trying to do with the service/activity name as you asked in your first post. You can uninstall Service Disabler as soon as you find the name of the service/activity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Often, there are many apps with similar names, especially if they are doing the same functions, so when someone recommends an app based on personal experience, it helps to include the link to that app too because of the same reason mentioned above. This isn't spoon feeding. And as you confirm yourself, the app is no longer available on the Play Store, so anyone who looks for the app based on your suggestion, would have wasted time trying out several apps, except the one suggested.
Personally, I always include links when I'm helping someone. It doesn't cost me anything. But I understand we have different perspectives and approach.
But anyways, thanks for your time and effort.
TheMystic said:
Often, there are many apps with similar names, especially if they are doing the same functions, so when someone recommends an app based on personal experience, it helps to include the link to that app too because of the same reason mentioned above. This isn't spoon feeding. And as you confirm yourself, the app is no longer available on the Play Store, so anyone who looks for the app based on your suggestion, would have wasted time trying out several apps, except the one suggested.
Personally, I always include links when I'm helping someone. It doesn't cost me anything. But I understand we have different perspectives and approach.
But anyways, thanks for your time and effort.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to give detailed descriptions with all links included. Lots of times, it was posting descriptions and links that I had posted many different times for other members asking the same questions, answers that are already here, answers they would find if they searched for it. People treat this place like it is Reddit or Quora, just here to help and answer their questions when they have a problem/question, instead of what it actually is, a forum designed by developers for developers. The monotony of that became overbearing and then when you consider that I would often post 10's/dozens of posts a day, after being here for almost 10 years and helping 1000's and 1000's of users that just wanted someone to make things easy for them and just hand them everything they need to solve their issue while also being unwilling to try gaining some understanding of what they are dealing with, understanding that could/would help them in the future if they just paid attention, that eventually evolved into giving as straightforward of a description as I could and then telling the member how to find the things I mentioned for themselves, this not only encourages them to do the footwork of searching for themselves, it also helps refine and develop their ability to effectively search for what they need and actually get results. It isnt a matter of just searching, it is a matter of knowing what to search for and how to be more specific in their searching. A lot of times, users don't know the best search terms or keywords to use which leads them in circles, unable to find or make sense of anything. I would rather give them information to understand the issue or understand android itself, information that may help them understand their device, how the hardware/software actually functions so that they can have a better sense of how to go about doing things on the device. Show them the rules of the game and how it is played instead of just pointing them in a direction or just putting them on the field and letting them wander around doing things without understanding how their actions effect the outcome of the game. You can tell a person that 2+2=4, but you've done nothing if they don't understand the numbers or the math.
Long story short...
If you give someone a fish, you feed them for a day, but if you teach them how to fish, you feed them for a lifetime.
Droidriven said:
I used to give detailed descriptions with all links included. Lots of times, it was posting descriptions and links that I had posted many different times for other members asking the same questions, answers that are already here, answers they would find if they searched for it. People treat this place like it is Reddit or Quora, just here to help and answer their questions when they have a problem/question, instead of what it actually is, a forum designed by developers for developers. The monotony of that became overbearing and then when you consider that I would often post 10's/dozens of posts a day, after being here for almost 10 years and helping 1000's and 1000's of users that just wanted someone to make things easy for them and just hand them everything they need to solve their issue while also being unwilling to try gaining some understanding of what they are dealing with, understanding that could/would help them in the future if they just paid attention, that eventually evolved into giving as straightforward of a description as I could and then telling the member how to find the things I mentioned for themselves, this not only encourages them to do the footwork of searching for themselves, it also helps refine and develop their ability to effectively search for what they need and actually get results. It isnt a matter of just searching, it is a matter of knowing what to search for and how to be more specific in their searching. A lot of times, users don't know the best search terms or keywords to use which leads them in circles, unable to find or make sense of anything. I would rather give them information to understand the issue or understand android itself, information that may help them understand their device, how the hardware/software actually functions so that they can have a better sense of how to go about doing things on the device. Show them the rules of the game and how it is played instead of just pointing them in a direction or just putting them on the field and letting them wander around doing things without understanding how their actions effect the outcome of the game. You can tell a person that 2+2=4, but you've done nothing if they don't understand the numbers or the math.
Long story short...
If you give someone a fish, you feed them for a day, but if you teach them how to fish, you feed them for a lifetime.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate that you have stuck around for so long, and helping people with solutions. I'm neither a developer, nor have been in this platform for too long. I'm not too active either. So I'll speak for myself.
I'm aware this platform started off by Developers, and for developers. However, it has grown much beyond that with Android evolving. The Developers are now a minority, albeit still the most important category.
Although you are speaking from your personal experience, as far as I have seen, people who come to this platform come for a very specific purpose, and don't treat it like a social media platform as far as I have seen. It is just that sometimes the threads become too long and they may not find answers they are looking for, despite searching for it.
In my case, you would see that well over 90% of my questions remain unanswered. I'm not complaining. I'm aware that my questions are indeed difficult because I post only when I don't find answers after doing sufficient research. And under these circumstances, this platform becomes the best place to ask those questions because this is a platform of default for Developers, and as q consequence also has the maximum probability of providing an answer.
Whatever we post here, is going to remain forever, and it is not limited to the original poster. The answers and comments will continue to help many more people with time. I wouldn't jump into concluding that someone hasn't done his homework. That's because I don't know. So when in doubt, it is best to give the benefit of doubt. Besides, it doesn't cost anything to include links, where applicable.
So while I agree that it is better to teach someone how to do something, than providing ready made solutions, there is often no point in reinventing the wheel.
Have you since found a way to find intents?
Windows_2000 said:
Have you since found a way to find intents?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not yet. On the contrary, a lot of activities/ intent already visible within the Shortcut Maker app don't work too, with this error:
No app to open this shortcut.
Don't know yet how to solve this.

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