How to secure android apk file from being extracted

Question

I have a .apk file of my application created using phonegap. I want to know how to prevent my code being seen by anyone who gets my apk so that a person can use it but not be able to see the code. Due to client specific requirements It is not distributed via website or playstore etc. But since the app is in phonegap 99% of the code is in html and js which I can see just by opening the apk file.

Is there any method which allows me to prevent code viewing even if i distribute my apk as it is say for example via pendrive ?

Thanks

This seems like your best bet... http://stackoverflow.com/a/6161438/1133908 — Vinay S Shenoy, Jan 10 '13 at 10:34
@PeterCarpenter Thanks for paraphrasing but is there any standard way of obfuscation??? — user1900588, Jan 10 '13 at 10:35
you can get help from [this Link](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13854425/how-to-avoid-reverse-engineering-of-apk-file/13854693#13854693) — Bhavesh Patadiya, Jan 10 '13 at 10:35
@user1900588, There is a standard way for Native java code(called proguard), bundled with the Android Development Tools. But it doesn't work well with Phonegap(or so I've heard). Please check the answer I've linked. — Vinay S Shenoy, Jan 10 '13 at 10:36
@VinaySShenoy: Thanks for suggesting that but I am not supposed to be using DOJO. — user1900588, Jan 10 '13 at 11:26

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 14 '23 at 08:45

2

How to secure android apk file from being extracted

AFAIK its not completely possible to prevent it from being viewed.

You basically can't protect your application from being modified. And any protection you put in there can be disabled/removed.

There is basically not any trick for complete avoidance of your problem. But you can still use Proguard and make your code more obfuscated.

If you have the option of including shared libraries then also you can use and integrate it for making it harder to reverse engineer.

You can view this StackOverflow question for more ways for preventing your APK file being reverse engineered.

Hope it will Help.

edited Apr 14 '23 at 08:45

JeffUK

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answered Jan 10 '13 at 10:43

Bhavesh Patadiya

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I can't use any external tools and the only code that is supposed to be protected is html and js . – user1900588 Jan 10 '13 at 11:28
I think It will be difficult for me obfuscate html and js code. Will have to rely on indirect tools then. Can't say my problem is solved but your link did provide some indirect methods. also if anybody is interested here is a [link](http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/compressor/#using) – user1900588 Jan 11 '13 at 11:23

How to secure android apk file from being extracted

1 Answers1

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