Is it possible for an Android device administrator app to disable uninstallation of itself?
The default behavior is that the app's uninstall button is grayed out, unless the user unchecks it from the list of device administrators. However, I've seen MDM apps that goes the extra step to disallow users from unchecking the app from the list of device administrators (e.g. Citrix XenMobile). How is this possible?
Thanks.
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I am working on an app blocker app, user select apps, determine blocking period, when the apps are blocked I want to leave no hack to stop the blocking, the hack for now is that the user can simply uninstall the app, how to use the device admin permission to prevent uninstallation until the period is done.
I want detect when the user open my app info in the device settings trying to uninstall the app
I am trying to make my feedback app to support fully kiosk, I have tried a lot of solutions but Nothing is completely satisfying my need. Here are the things that I found yet.
1. Make my app as Device Admin/Owner App(Lock Task) -
If we follow this link/procedure https://developer.android.com/work/dpc/dedicated-devices/lock-task-mode, some limitations are there as follows -
a. We have to factory reset all the devices where Feedback app is installed, follow some steps to make it as admin app(launcher app).
b. Installation of the app will be possible using the command line, each installation will take some line of code through cmd, which means for installing a person has to go there with the computer and connect the device with USB and then install the app using commands.
c. Update on an app will also follow the same procedure (Couldn't be performed using google play store)
d. In this case, end-user will never be able to exit from our app, restart the device would also launch the same feedback app every single time.
2. Programmatically screen pinning + programmatically volume and power button controlling. (https://github.com/mrugacz95/kiosk)
a. In this, we will make the app in screen pinning mode where all the three bottom buttons(Overview, home, recent) will be hidden/disabled. and same with the power key and volume keys.
b. So As soon user clicks on kiosk mode, a screen pinning system generated prompt would be shown to user But the biggest disadvantage of it is that app would be unpinned/unlocked as soon as the user presses overview+recent buttons together.
3. The third Case is, where all the keys are controlled including power+voulme+back+overview etc.
Only pressing home will make the app to go on the background and within seconds it will again come foreground.
So all I found up until now, is not very satisfiable.
One more Question-
Is this something to be fully controlled by MDM(Mobile Device Management)?
Any help is appreciated.
1. Make my app as Device Admin/Owner App
a. A device owner can only be installed on a newly initialized device (before an account is added). I believe this is by design : A device owner can completely lock the device down, you don't want a malicious app to be able to seize the phone of an unsuspecting user after a few "I agree" popups.
b. You don't need to install it using adb. The simplest provisioning method is via NFC : While the device shows the very first screen of the setup wizard, touch it with a tag (or another device) containing the provisioning configuration, most importantly an URL where the apk can be downloaded and a WiFi config.
Another method is via QR code (Android 7+) : tap 6 times the first setup screen. It is a bit less convenient than NFC because you usually have to provision the WiFi manually.
c. A device owner can be updated like any other app. As it can itself install or update applications without asking the user, you can implement a fully automatized self update mechanism : check for update / download / update.
2. Lock task / screen pinning
Any application can programatically enter lock task mode. How it happens depends on whether the application is white listed by a device owner app (possibly itself) :
If not, the user is prompted and must accept, they can also exit at any time. This is basically the same thing as screen pinning.
If yes, there is no popup : the user can not decline to enter, nor exit, the lock task mode.
Additionally a kiosk application can act as a launcher. A device owner (again, possibly itself) can set it without user intervention
Is this something to be fully controlled by MDM(Mobile Device Management)?
While device owner apps are usually DPC connected to a MDM console of some sort, this is not a technical requirement. How you control it is completely up to you. (I hope I understood correctly the question)
Overall, I think that the only reliable way a device can be locked in kiosk mode is to use a device owner app (separately or included in the kiosk application). The setup via NFC or QR code is actually faster than a normal device setup. It can also protect against safe mode reboot or factory reset. The only real constraint is that you can not deploy this kind of application on existing devices without wiping them first.
Make my app as Device Admin/Owner App(Lock Task) -
a. If you are making it an 'admin app' this means you have signed the device image correct? Therefore you control the full flashing of the device - you can do anything in this scenario.
b. You can actually also do ADB over WiFi after you set it up the first time
c. You can update your apps from the playstore - even launcher applications
d. This fact is the whole point of Kiosk mode. Users should not ever be able to exit the application. Only you can exit, either with a remote command or with a invisible touch combination (for example touching each of the corners of the screen in sequence twice, or other 'secret unlock code')
Programmatically screen pinning + programmatically volume and power button controlling. (https://github.com/mrugacz95/kiosk)
b. This is the opposite of 1d, it is not clear what you want if you want neither.
The third Case is, where all the keys are controlled including power+voulme+back+overview etc.
This is also the opposite of 1d, it is not clear what you want if you want neither.
We need a few more details on your deployment scenario for this app to help you out further.
Did quite some research but not able to get details on disabling FORCE STOP for the application.
While on GOOGLE play there are some applications like KASPERSKY PARENTAL CONTROL , Quick HEAL etc...who disable Force STOP.
Any clue about how to do this ?
Any help will be useful
Depends on ODM if they has some sort of business agreement they change in Android Setting app code and disable Force Stop button for those packages . Of course it has to pass CTS as well.Well i remember disabling Uninstall button for one app.
If the processor gets eaten up, disabling "Force stop" will mean a user can only uninstall the app from Google Play or Device Settings (only if Device Admin is disabled)to free up running processes as well as potential memory leakage. Mobile security solutions by default will in general adhere to disabling "Force stop" for one good reason - malware could indeed "Force stop" the virus engine, rendering the Android device vulnerable to infection.
Also, if "Force stop" or "uninstall" is disabled the security app will ask for "Device admin" (used mainly in enterprise security) - a user can deactivate Device Administration by > Settings > Security > Device Administration - uncheck box. Once this is done, you can then "Force Stop" or "Uninstall" the app as normal from Settings or the Play Store. :)
For s4 go to setting then slide right to 'more' and then hit 'Application manager' And then slide to see what apps are running or stopped. Simple.. dont need to restore your phone guys. ..
I was thinking of a security app which will have device administrator privileges. I wanted to see if it was possible to require a pass-code when the user tries to uncheck the app as an administrator under Settings->Security->Device Administrators. This would add a roadblock to not easily allow the user to uninstall the app as they would first need to remove the admin privileges from the app (for which they would need to authenticate with a password) and then they could uninstall. The idea is for parents to install a security app on their kids' phones and not have the kids uninstall it easily. Would something like this be possible without root access?
Start the pass-code activity in onDisableRequested() method (an override method of DeviceAdminReceiver)
In Android 2.3
As soon as deactivate button is clicked your activity will open.
From Android 4.x
The activity opens after around 5-10 secs when deactivate button is clicked.
So you can lock the device from onDisabled() method instead onDisableRequested().
I'm developing a Android application, and I would like that when it first starts it set itself as default action for Home button.
Currently this option is given to the user by the Android system only when he first press the Home button after running my app.
User don't want to click on check box as "Use by default for this action" it should be set by default my apps.
Thanks in advance.
This is not possible, and it is a good thing too.
Android allows users to choose their own defaults to prevent malicious apps from making themselves the default app to deal with an action, and hence protecting the user's data and device. If an app could set itself as the default homescreen or browser or call app etc. then it could steal the user's personal data and also potentially spoil or deny access to the device itself.
Due to the above reasons, this is not possible why the Android SDK, and I sincerely doubt that an unofficial means to do this exists.