Das Inoffizielle Android-Handbuch
Das Inoffizielle Android Systemhandbuch
Die besten Android-Apps
Permissions
On Android, app permissions shall regulate access to resources and guarantee a certain form of „privacy”. Unfortunately, on-board utilities are a complete failure here – as they are either non-existing (up to Android 5/Lollipop), or much too low granular (Android 6 and up). A must-read on this topic is Das Android Berechtigungsmodell: Ein perfides Konstrukt by security expert Mike Kuketz (Googletranslated English variant here). So we have to substitute with 3rd party utilities – to inspect what apps have access to (possible without root) as well as to regulate that access ourselves (usually requires root).
Permission Checker
2023-05-16
- CRAM App Analyser (5@150) 7
LastUpdate: 2017-11-28 - Privacy Dashboard (4.7@3,604) 3 LastUpdate: 2021-09-02
- Privacy Guard (4.3@205) Ǥ 6 1
LastUpdate: 2019-09-14 - Permission Friendly Apps (4.2@2,292) 0
LastUpdate: 2015-04-20 Github; Kurztest 1/2018 - aSpotCat - Permission Checker (4.2@1,630) Ǥ 7 4
- Permissions Watchdog (4.2@94) 1 LastUpdate: 2015-06-15 watches on-install (as Playstore/Android 6+ hide permissions now)
- Permission Check Plugin (4@3,737) 2 3 LastUpdate: 2016-10-26 Plugin for All-In-One Toolbox
- App Permission Watcher (3.9@496) 0 LastUpdate: 2013-12-05
- Permission Pilot (3.9@162) Ǥ 3
Github - PrivacyBreacher (3.9@39) 1 LastUpdate: 2020-10-15 Github; Vorstellung 5/2020; what information can be accessed without any permission required?
- MyPermissions Privacy Cleaner (3.7@6,164) Ǥ 9 7 LastUpdate: 2019-04-07 Intro 3/2016; alarms you as soon as an app accesses your private data (but not before)
- App Permissions (3.4@204) 2 LastUpdate: 2018-06-02 Github
- App Permissions (3.3@988) 3 1 LastUpdate: 2020-07-20
- Chairlock (0@0) 4
- Permissions Manager (0@0) 3 Github; warns about dangerous permissions given to installed apps
Permission Manager
AppOps FrontEnds
2023-05-16
These are front-ends for the built-in AppOps available with Android 4.3/4.4. Do not require root.
- Permission Manager X (4.3@68; ~EUR 2.00) Ǥ 9 Github; needs either root or ADB for full support
- AppOpsX (4@245) 1 LastUpdate: 2019-01-27 Github; requires root or ADB; Android 4.4 to 8.0
- Revo App Permission Manager (3.3@622) Ǥ 11 3
- ADBungFu (0@0) 3
Stand-Alone Permission Manager
2023-05-16
If not noted otherwise, these will require root.
- XPrivacyLua (5@2) 1
/ XPrivacyLua Pro (4.3@6) Ǥ 4 LastUpdate: 2021-02-10 Github; XDA; successor of XPrivacy / Pro XDA Thread - Bouncer Temporary Permissions (4.6@2,561; ~EUR 2.00) 2 Video Intro 11/2018; no root needed (required permissions unknown?)
- Permission Manager X (4.3@68; ~EUR 2.00) Ǥ 9 Github; needs either root or ADB for full support
- App Ops - Permission manager (4.1@3,045) Ǥ 6 2 Android 5-7; root & non-root
- XPrivacy (4@25) 6 LastUpdate: 2015-07-03 Tutorial; Vorstellung 5/2015 | 7/2015; XDA Thread; Schnelleinstieg; this is primarily a privacy manager, so only cares for privacy permissions (see FAQ); supports on-demand restricting and fake/null data; root & XPosed framework required: Android 4, 5 & 6
- App Permission Manager–App Man (3.8@429) 6 6
- Permission Master (3.7@677) Ǥ 1 LastUpdate: 2014-10-08 simply "revokes" permissions (apps might FC)
- DonkeyGuard (3.6@1,477) Ǥ 5 LastUpdate: 2014-10-27 Github; Vorstellung 8/2014; Video Review 9/2014; requires Xposed & Cydia; block permissions or fake data; with „interception dialog“ (allow/deny/ask)
- App Permission Manager (3.1@12,062) Ǥ 11 3
- Protect My Privacy (PMP) (3.1@32) 10 LastUpdate: 2017-12-22 homepage w/ background & instructions
- App Permission & Tracker (0@0) Ǥ 8 2
- XPrivacy button in App Info (0@0) LastUpdate: 2016-01-29 Github; A button gets added to App Info that takes you to XPrivacy settings of the app.
APK Rebuilder
2023-05-16
Manipulate the .apk file of (user-) apps, and re-install those. They don't require root; but usually, updates for those apps no longer work.
- SRT AppGuard: Beschreibung 4/2017; only Android 2.3-4.4, EOL (project discontinued)
Other Permission Managers
2023-05-22
- PlayPermissionsExposed (0@0) LastUpdate: 2016-01-31 XDA; Github
- XPrivacy button in App Info (0@0) LastUpdate: 2016-01-29 Github; A button gets added to App Info that takes you to XPrivacy settings of the app.
Further Readings:
- Category Firewalls & Co.
- Category Ad-Modules (and counter-measures)
- Permissions explained here at IzzyOnDroid
- Google Help: Review app permissions
- Google entfernt Informationen zu App-Berechtigungen aus dem PlayStore (7/2022)
- The 5 Best Apps for Managing App Permissions on Android (6/2022)
- How to Remove Permissions From Android Apps You Rarely Use (5/2022)
- Why just checking permissions is insufficient (and you should rather prefer FOSS apps): More than 1,000 Android apps harvest data even after you deny permissions (7/2019)
- PDF: 50 Ways to Leak Your Data: An Exploration of Apps’ Circumvention of the Android Permissions System (6/2019)
- Was soll ich einer App erlauben, was lieber nicht? (10/2017)
- Das Android Berechtigungsmodell: Ein perfides Konstrukt (8/2016)
- Zugriffsrechte: Was darf meine App? (2/2016 - 4/2021)
- Rechteverwaltung mit Android 6 / App-Rechte anzeigen und verwalten (Android 6.0) (6/2016)
- How to Fix Your Privacy on Android (6/2016)
- How Do Android App Permissions Work? What You Need to Know (3/2016 - 3/2023)
- How Libraries can silently add permissions to your Android App and how the dev can counter it (3/2016)
- App-Zugriffsrechte entschlüsselt (2/2016 - 8/2019)
- Watch this video: Reading App Permissions Aloud Can Make You Realize How Scary They Are (1/2015)
- New Permission System Could Make Android Much Less Secure (6/2014)
- Play Store ermöglicht Apps mehr Rechte ohne Nachfragen (5/2014)
- „Normal“ (hidden) Permissions can be Dangerous, too! (4/2014)
- Android App Permissions and Security: What You Need to Know (2/2014)
- Best Free Android Permission Management Apps for privacy control (1/2014 - 6/2020)
- App-Berechtigungen und ihre Bedeutung (1/2014 - 7/2019)
- Android Berechtigungen – Alles oder nichts (2/2013)
2023-05-21