A Self-Compiling Android Data Obfuscation Tool

TL;DR

DroidStealth is an open source Android app that uses self-compilation, encryption, and obfuscation to securely hide data and itself on smartphones, providing two-layer protection without requiring special permissions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel self-compiling technique for Android data obfuscation that adapts its appearance to hide in plain sight without special permissions.

Findings

Effective data hiding and application obfuscation on Android devices.

No need for special permissions to transform app appearance.

Provides two-layer protection against casual searches.

Abstract

Smartphones are becoming more significant in storing and transferring data. However, techniques ensuring this data is not compromised after a confiscation of the device are not readily available. DroidStealth is an open source Android application which combines data encryption and application obfuscation techniques to provide users with a way to securely hide content on their smartphones. This includes hiding the application's default launch methods and providing methods such as dial-to-launch or invisible launch buttons. A novel technique provided by DroidStealth is the ability to transform its appearance to be able to hide in plain sight on devices. To achieve this, it uses self-compilation, without requiring any special permissions. This Two-Layer protection aims to protect the user and its data from casual search in various situations.