AndroidManifest.xml
Last updated
Reverse Engineering
Last updated
Contains essential information for app execution.
Permissions
Intents exposed
Start classes
However, with an XML extension, it is encoded and compressed.
Can be obtained with apktool, appt and many others.
Access to AndroidManifest.xml "is an issue" as it exposes public interfaces and data sources.
Can be explored by simple observation/sniffing/injection and no further RE.
But there is nothing to do about it. It's always available.
Contains all Dalvik bytecode.
Reverse engineering from APKs is always easier.
A copy of the APK exists on the phone but is only accessible to root.
It is possible to recover most Java code.
Includes both application code and some Java libraries.
Some Android/google optional frameworks.
Additional frameworks the developers required for development.
May include unused frameworks.
Doesn't include base framework classes.
Reversing DEX may follow two approaches.
Convert to smali, more difficult to understand, but always possible.
Convert to Java sources, easier to understand but not exact.
