Disclaimer: only works on Android 4.3_r3.1 with Galaxy Nexus. Or Cyanogenmod 12.1 of android 5.1.1, comfirmed on Nexus 5,6 and 10 devices.
Mutate an Android app at the source code level.
Abstract from the scientific paper: We present the first smart phone tool that is capable of self-compilation, mutation and viral spreading. Our autonomous app does not require a host computer to alter its functionality, change its appearance and lacks the normal necessity of a central app store to spread among hosts. We pioneered survival skills for mobile software in order to overcome disrupted Internet access due to natural disasters and human made interference, like Internet kill switches or censored networks. Internet kill switches have proven to be an effective tool to eradicate open Internet access and all forms of digital communication within an hour on a country-wide basis. We present the first operational tool that is capable of surviving such digital eradication.
{Part of Tribler: 82 contributing developers so far, 1.7 unique users installs to date}
platform -> android-18.jar compiler -> ecj-4.5.jar dexer -> SDK\build-tools\23.0.0\lib\dx.jar apk build -> sdklib-24.3.4.jar signer -> zipsigner-lib-1.17.jar zipsigner-lib-optional-1.17.jar zipio-lib-1.8.jar kellinwood-loggin-lib-1.1.jar sc-core-1.52.0.0.jar sc-prov-1.52.0.0.jar sc-pkix-1.52.0.0.jar sc-pg-1.52.0.0.jar
aapt -> Platform_Framework_Base\tools\aapt aidl -> Platform_Framework_Base\tools\aidl androidfw -> Platform_Framework_Base\include\androidfw
zipalign -> Platform_Build\tools\zipalign host -> Platform_Build\lib\host
libpng -> Platform_External_Libpng expat -> Platform_External_Expat zlib -> Platform_External_Zlib
libcutils -> Platform_System_Core\libcutils cutils -> Platform_System_Core\include\cutils
liblog -> Platform_System_Core\liblog log -> Platform_System_Core\include\log
libutils -> Platform_System_Core\libutils utils -> Platform_System_Core\include\utils
log.h -> Platform_System_Core\include\android
asset_manager.h -> Platform_Framework_Native\include\android looper.h -> Platform_Framework_Native\include\android
zopfli -> zopfli\src
ld -> Tool_Chain_Utils\binutils-2.25\ld
https://developer.android.com/ndk/guides/stable_apis.html#a18
LOCAL_LDLIBS := -llog (liblog)
LOCAL_LDLIBS := -lz (zlib)
LOCAL_LDLIBS += -landroid (o.a. looper.h)
LOCAL_LDLIBS := -ldl (dynamic linker)
Howto mutate an Android app at the source code level.
Simple proof-of-principle user interface. Both the app name and the icon are changed in real-time in the source code shipped inside the app. By selecting "install" an .apk is created of itself using self-compilation.
Changing icon and app name:
First self compile step, process resources
Compile source:
Integrate dependencies:
(this takes a while)
Package app:
Prepare installation step:
The magic happens. Without any user intervention it asks for a freshly compiled clone of itself to be installed.:
User selected "install"
Install completed
Finally open the self-compiled clone of itself.
