ANDROID PENTESTING SERIES PART 5 : AndroidManifest file

Every APK file contains an AndroidMenifest.xml file. The manifest contains key information elements about the application, Some of them are :

• Application’s package name.
• All the application’s components, such as activities, resources.
• What permissions this application requires to run, and the permissions required to access this application’s information by other apps.
• Compatibility features (eg: minimum android version and supported devices).

Full list can be obtained from here : https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/manifest-intro

Below are some common attributes that can identify in AndroidManifest file.

• manifest : Contains android installation mode, package name, build versions.
• Permissions : Custom permission and protection level.
• uses-permission : requests a permission that must be granted in order for it to operate.
• permission-group : Does the same as above for a set of components.
• permission-tree : Refers one specific name of the component which is the owner or parent of the set of component.
• instrumentation : Enables to know interaction between android system and application.
• supports-screen, compatible-screens : Both these deals with screen configuration mode and size of the screen etc.
• supports-gl-texture : Specifies texture based on which the application is filtered.
• uses-feature : Specifies single hardware or software requirement and their related entity.
• application : The declaration of the application. Will contains all the activity.
  • activity : Declares an activity that implements part of the application visual user interface.
  • intent-filter : Specifies the types of intents that an activity, service or broadcast receiver can respond to.
  • service : Declare a service as one of the application components.
  • Receiver : Broadcast receiver enable applications to receive intents that are broadcasted by the system or by the applications, even when other components of the application are not running.
  • provider : Declares a content provider component. A content provider is a subclass of ContentProvider that supplies structured access to data managed by the application. It basically provides some structure to access application data.
  • Activity-Alias : Specifies target activities.
  • uses-library : It specifies set of library files need to run to application.