apkInspector is a tool designed to provide detailed insights into the zip structure of APK files, offering the capability to extract content and decode the AndroidManifest.xml file. What sets APKInspector apart is its adherence to the zip specification during APK parsing, eliminating the need for reliance on external libraries. This independence, allows APKInspector to be highly adaptable, effectively emulating Android's installation process for APKs that cannot be parsed using standard libraries. The main goal is to enable users to conduct static analysis on APKs that employ evasion techniques, especially when conventional methods prove ineffective.
Please check this blog post for more details.
apkInspector is available through PyPI
pip install apkInspector
or you can clone this repository and build and install locally:
git clone https://github.com/erev0s/apkInspector.git
cd apkInspector
poetry build
pip install dist/apkInspector-Version_here.tar.gz
Documentation created based on the docstrings, is available through Sphinx:
https://erev0s.github.io/apkInspector/
apkInspector offers a command line tool with the same name, with the following options;
$ apkInspector -h
usage: apkInspector [-h] [-apk APK] [-f FILENAME] [-ll] [-lc] [-la] [-e] [-x] [-xa] [-m] [-sm SPECIFY_MANIFEST] [-a] [-v]
apkInspector is a tool designed to provide detailed insights into the zip structure of APK files, offering the capability to extract
content and decode the AndroidManifest.xml file.
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-apk APK APK to inspect
-f FILENAME, --filename FILENAME
Filename to provide info for
-ll, --list-local List all files by name from local headers
-lc, --list-central List all files by name from central directory header
-la, --list-all List all files from both central directory and local headers
-e, --export Export to JSON. What you list from the other flags, will be exported
-x, --extract Attempt to extract the file specified by the -f flag
-xa, --extract-all Attempt to extract all files detected in the central directory header
-m, --manifest Extract and decode the AndroidManifest.xml
-sm SPECIFY_MANIFEST, --specify-manifest SPECIFY_MANIFEST
Pass an encoded AndroidManifest.xml file to be decoded
-a, --analyze Check an APK for static analysis evasion techniques
-v, --version Retrieves version information
The library component of apkInspector is designed with extensibility in mind, allowing other tools to seamlessly integrate its functionality. This flexibility empowers developers to leverage the capabilities of apkInspector within their own applications and workflows. To facilitate clear comprehension and ease of use, comprehensive docstrings accompany all primary methods, providing valuable insights into their functionality, expected arguments, and return values. These detailed explanations serve as invaluable guides, ensuring that developers can quickly grasp the inner workings of apkInspector's core features and smoothly incorporate them into their projects.
- Find end of central directory record
- Parse central directory of APK and get details about each entry
- Get details local header for each entry
- Extract single or all files within an APK
- Decode AndroidManifest.xml file
- Identify Tampering Indicators:
- End of Central Directory record defined multiple times
- Unknown compression methods
- Compressed entry with empty filename
- Unexpected starting signature of AndroidManifest.xml
- Tampered StringCount value
- Strings surpassing maximum length
- Invalid data between elements
- Unexpected attribute size
- Unexpected attribute names or values
- Zero size header for namespace end nodes
The command-line interface (CLI) serves as a practical illustration of how the methods provided by the library have been employed.
Please take a look at the results from testing apkInspector against a set of top Play Store applications
- Improve documentation
- Improve code coverage
It should be kept in mind that apkInspector is an evolving project, a work in progress. As such, users should anticipate occasional bugs and anticipate updates and upgrades as the tool continues to mature and enhance its functionality. Your feedback and contributions to apkInspector are highly appreciated as we work together to improve and refine its capabilities.
We welcome contributions from the open-source community to help improve and enhance apkInspector. Whether you're a developer, tester, or documentation enthusiast, your contributions are valuable.