Category Archives: Android

Xposed Framework – Proposed Solution

By | | , , , ,
1 Comment

After my post on Google Wallet and the Xposed Framework I’ve done some thinking to see if there was some sort of solution to the security issue that is inherent in the Xposed Framework. It hit me. The answer is kind of obvious. My big gripe with the Xposed Framework is that it operates with impunity. Once a module is added to the white list, either through user interaction or a malicious action, there are no more checks done to insure that the functionality which is being altered is acceptable to the user. With standard root access there is a … Continue reading →

Xposed Framework And Google Wallet

By | | , , ,
Leave a comment

It turns out that Google Wallet was updated the other day. I know this because I recently flashed Paranoid Android and had wallet auto-update on me when I was trying to reinstall it. I was able to get it working by removing the Wallet and the update, opening the Play Store, disabling auto-updates, and then re-installing wallet (adb push /system/app). Being on that always wants to be on the bleeding edge I immediately looked around the internet for the latest patched version. The two threads that I follow on XDA relating to wallet seemed to be in a bit of … Continue reading →

Google Voice Down?

By | | ,
Leave a comment

Is Google Voice Down for anyone? I can’t seem to send text messages or get folder contents back on my Android phone. I really like Google Voice but why does Google treat it like a bastard child? It is so powerful and offers Google so many more marketing and advertising options. I hope they get this issue worked out soon. Edit: Looks like it is back up this morning.

Put Your Android Phone Into Hyperdrive!

By | |
2 Comments

Just read an article about ROMing your phone? If you have and want to take your phone to the next level of performance, both in terms of speed and battery life you should check out a custom kernel. The kernel is the central point in most modern day operating systems. It sits between running applications and the actual computer processing parts of your system. Using a custom kernel can allow you to enhance the functionality in this critical system component. Since kernels play a key role in how the day-to-day applications use your hardware it makes sense that tweaking the kernel … Continue reading →

Speed Your Android Phone Up, ROM IT!

By | |
Comments Off on Speed Your Android Phone Up, ROM IT!

I’m planning on getting the topic of ROMing your Android phone in the future, however I’ve been asked a few times as of late how to make your Android phone faster and what am I running on my phone to make it blazing fast. The simple answer is that I’ve rooted, unlocked my bootloader for a custom kernel, and am running a custom ROM. The more complex answer, and this is for the more initiated of those Android users out there, is that I’m running an unofficial nightly of CyanogenMod 10.1. Say What? So I have a Galaxy S3 by … Continue reading →

Xposed Framework – Android Security

By | | , ,
9 Comments

Alrighty, let me put on my software engineering hat and pickup on some regular blogging about important topics! This is a continuation of my discussion on Android Security. Last time I talked about obtaining root on your phone. Once a phone is rooted the ability to modify system files can be requested by any application running on the phone. The key point being that applications request the ability to operate as the root user, they are not given the ability to do so by default. I’ve recently been reading about a project called the Xposed Framework. It’s a Github project designed to add hooks into the various methods … Continue reading →

Android Security Risks

By | | ,
Leave a comment

Android is a pretty solid operating system. Like any operating system it has some issues regarding system security. In the area of system security there are some obvious holes we could talk about. Almost all (actually I can’t think of any that have not) phones have been rooted through some security exploit. For the uninitiated having a rooted phone or obtaining root on your phone is akin to being system administrator on your PC. You can do anything to the Android system, essentially you have God Mode. For obvious reasons no manufactures ship their phones with root enabled. Doing so would put … Continue reading →

All Hail Android

By | |
2 Comments

Do You Own a Smartphone? Most likely you do. Changes are incredibly high that you own an Android smartphone. Currently Android is on the most commonly used smartphone OS in the world. While Android cannot say that it started the smartphone revolution, perhaps Apple can claim that title, it can proudly say that it brought the idea of the what a smartphone should be to the masses. Brought the idea to the masses? Look at the newest features of the current competitors to Android. Notifications and widgets are both big features that are being touted. This post is not written … Continue reading →