Is there anyway to just give root permission to any app thought adb without rooting ? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hey developers, I respect your hard work you put in making things happen in Android. I used app called 'custom navbar' which require permission from adb to run.
I was wondering if there is anyway to give other root require apps permission through adb to make changes in system, so you don't have to root your phone to run them?
It might sound crazy but I think it would be awesome to have such option.
Please let me know.
Thank you ?

Related

[Q] Superuser Permissions - how to add new app

Hi,
I have the app "superuser permissions" on my rooted Dell Streak.
Some apps request superuser permission and when they request, I can add them to the allowed apps list.
But some apps do not request permission.
How can I add superuser permission to those apps ?
For example, there is a web server named PAW. I want to run it on port 80 which requires root.
However, I can't add that to the list...
Also, some file managers do not request permission. How can I make them root ?
Hi mrmrmrmr
Well if an app doesn't request superuser permissions obviously it means it doesn't have that functionality in it so you can't just add it to it just by granting it permission it just doesn't work like that.
Again with File Managers they need to be written to need Root access and be granted permission you can't just grant them access as again thats just not how it works take Astro a great file manager but it doesn't have root access because it's not designed to do that. If you want a File manger with Root access that will on first use request superuser permission you need to look at Root Explorer that will do what you want as thats what it has been built to do.
But i would advise exercising extreme caution when doing anything with Root access as changing or deleting something without understanding exactly what you are doing can have seriously bad consequences. Seeing as you have asked these two questions i would really question if you should go messing around in Root unless you are really sure you know what you are doing or able or prepared to fix any mistakes you may make.
Marc
thank you for the clarifying post and the warnings.
well, actually being a user of Linux based OSs for more than 15 years, I know what "root" user is and what it can do.
I just didn't know how Android applications gain root access. (Thought they would all use it if somehow they were granted)
Now, for the filemanager , I'll install root explorer as you recommend.
But for the PAW webserver:
This application is listening on port 8080 by default.
For listeningon port 80 , it says it needs root access on the documentation.
But I couldn't find how to give root access.
Any idea ?
@mrmrmrmr
Well it sounds like you have a far better and greater knowledge and understanding then i do as prior to Android i have had no exposure to a Linux based OS. Although i believe Android is slightly different but sorry but i have no idea about the Web sever stuff as thats just not my thing at all and wouldn't know where to even start with it.
Marc
thank you Dogmann.
anyone else whou could give an idea ?
I tried the PAW webserver, and it didn't work for me either when i set it to port 80 - even though I have root access. I would suggest sending the developer an email, because that functionality is obviously broken.
An alternative would be to get iptables working (it's not installed on my device!) and run:
iptables -t nat -I PREROUTING --dport 8080 -m
state --state NEW -p tcp --sync -j DNAT --to
127.0.0.1:80
(got that from google: http://www.google.com/search?q=local+port+forwarding)
Dogmann said:
Hi mrmrmrmr
Well if an app doesn't request superuser permissions obviously it means it doesn't have that functionality in it so you can't just add it to it just by granting it permission it just doesn't work like that.
Again with File Managers they need to be written to need Root access and be granted permission you can't just grant them access as again thats just not how it works take Astro a great file manager but it doesn't have root access because it's not designed to do that. If you want a File manger with Root access that will on first use request superuser permission you need to look at Root Explorer that will do what you want as thats what it has been built to do.
But i would advise exercising extreme caution when doing anything with Root access as changing or deleting something without understanding exactly what you are doing can have seriously bad consequences. Seeing as you have asked these two questions i would really question if you should go messing around in Root unless you are really sure you know what you are doing or able or prepared to fix any mistakes you may make.
Marc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you thank you thank you and again tanks thanks thanks
what if you want to add ROM Manager or grant permission to it but ROM Manager won't ask for the permission?
ROM Manager doesn't currently work on the Streak. This might explain it not asking for permissions.
I have the same problem!
When I typed "updatebb" in emulator, it said "permisson denied". But the emulator didn't ask the permisson! So how can I give permission to it?

[Q] How does "Android Root" works ?

Hello XDA-Forum users,
I ask you a question: How does Android Root works ?
I mean, for example, How does it works in Nexus One ?
This would be an understanding question to know more about how I get root from my Phone (Nexus One, for example) from scratch, from sources.
upupupupupup
Rooting basics:
http://lifehacker.com/5342237/five-great-reasons-to-root-your-android-phone
For details on how to do it on your device, Google or use the forum search. Lots of rooting information that is device dependent out there.
It basically gives your phone permission to do almost anything. It is similar to giving a user in Windows Administrator rights. It is called super user. You can do many things such as removing unwanted apps and overclocking.
This is not what I mean, I asks for an explaining in which the question is "How the root is possible? What active the root ?" Probably a kernel exploit, or stuff like that, to understand the underground passage to take it, from an hack view.
So, How works a root utility (such SuperOneClick) to set gid to 0 ?
Valid question, I am also interested in learning this.
In other words, if I were to perform the rooting manually, where can I find such info?
And some of the question is why su must be in some diredctories, and can't be run from /data/local/tmp for example?
Someone can enlighten us?
diego.stamigni said:
Someone can enlighten us?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The general approach is taking advantage of bugs in the android OS
The process works something like this
User crafts some special data that contains a "payload" (the script/executable that we want to run)
User runs a system process that has root privileges and gets it to open the special data
The bug causes the system process to get confused by the data, and ends up running the embedded script
The embedded script runs with the same privileges as the system process, and thus can stuff that normal users aren't allowed to do (e.g. installs the SU app)
Commonly, things such as buffer overflows are used
So after gaining root access, which apps can run as root?
Or the user becomes root(as in desktop), and can run all types of apps?
Can root app(run as root) access everything?? Or app permission still applies?
Is it that system exploit is always used to run root apps?
can someone explain in technical details? not how to root.
are rooting programs open source??
What is the root procedure
Bayint Naung said:
So after gaining root access, which apps can run as root?
Or the user becomes root(as in desktop), and can run all types of apps?
Can root app(run as root) access everything?? Or app permission still applies?
Is it that system exploit is always used to run root apps?
can someone explain in technical details? not how to root.
are rooting programs open source??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi guys!
I have the same question and after searching and asking find this!
it is good!!
hope it works!
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/...hat-are-the-pre-requisites-for-it-to-work-wha
also look at the suggestedpages at the right of this page!

[Q] what does rooting actually do ?

hi. i can't believe i'm the first person to ask this but i've searched as best i can through these forums, and on google, and cannot find a definitive answer. there are lots of pages giving high level descriptions of rooting a phone like "gives admin access", "allows access to the root filesystem", etc. but, when you root a phone, what actually happens ? does it simply make the "su" binary available so that apps can call it to access the root user ? eg. i've got a samsung galaxy s2, if i install an insecure kernel, then add su to /system/xbin, and then reinstall a stock kernel, is that technically a rooted phone ? this is actually what i did on my phone, although i installed superuser and busybox from the market after adding su. i am aware that there are various threads in the sgs2 forums on how to root, i'm just using my phone as an example, i'm just trying to understand generically what is meant when someone says a phone has been rooted. cheers.
Full control over your system
Ability to alter system files. You can replace many parts of the "Android Core" with this including:
Themes
Core apps (maps, calendar, clock etc)
Recovery image
Bootloader
Toolbox (linux binary that lets you execute simple linux commands like "ls") can be replaced with Busybox (slightly better option)
Boot images
Add linux binaries
Run special apps that need more control over the system
SuperUser (lets you approve or deny the use of root access to any program)
Task Manager For Root (Lets you kill apps that you otherwise could not kill)
Tether apps (like the one found at [android-wifi-tether.googlecode.com])
<there are more but I cannot think of any right now>
Backup your system
You can make a folder on your sdcard and backup all of your .apk files to your sdcard (helps if an author decides to "upgrade" you to a version that requires you to pay to use the version you just had)
Relocate your (browser/maps/market) cache to your /sdcard
Relocate your installed applications to your /sdcard
Reboot your phone from the terminal app easily (su <enter> reboot <enter>)
Copied and pasted from google... it is your friend.
thanks for the response however, i'm trying to understand what actually changes on the phone when you root it, rather than simply the benefits of rooting a phone.
Carrot Cruncher said:
thanks for the response however, i'm trying to understand what actually changes on the phone when you root it, rather than simply the benefits of rooting a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unrooted phone is like logging on as user in a computer. By rooting you have "administrative" rights, just like using sudo command in Ubuntu. Some binaries which are important in gaining administrative rights are installed in the phone.
sent from my nokia 3210
If you come from Windows, you're familiar with the Administrator account. A user that can do everything on the system, as opposed to other users than only have limited privileges. In Linux, that account is called "root". That's all there is to it. It's a user that can do everything on the system.
@Panos_dm: Actually, it's *not* like using sudo. Sudo gives elevated privileges to your existing user account, whereas "root" is a whole separate account.
Nope, sudo actually switches users
i'm a linux user and have been a linux admin in the past so understand the difference between su and sudo. sorry to sound pedantic but i'm still not clear on exactly what happens when you root a phone, i.e. what exactly happens during the rooting process ?
It opens your phone to a whole new array of possibilities.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using xda premium
Carrot Cruncher said:
but i'm still not clear on exactly what happens when you root a phone, i.e. what exactly happens during the rooting process ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In a gist? The "su" binary and the Superuser.apk app get installed. Sometimes doing so requires exploiting a vulnerability via a trigger. Rageagainstthecage is a common trigger. I once had a link that explained what exactly rageagainstthecage does, but I don't have it anymore.
If you really want to know all the details, here's the script I used to root my Defy: http://pastebin.com/G3m9v4FQ
Hmm, I see the script contains a link to the explanation of what rageagainstthecage does. Cool.
many thanks for confirming my understanding of the process.

semi noob question

alright so i know what rooting is , my understanding is that before rooting i won't have administrative access to parts of the file system i think that means that
i'll only have access to "/mnt/sdcard" and not to "/"
after rooting i'll have full access to the entire filesystem
i know why manufacutures dont want people playing around in there ,my understanding - many things break easily deleting something or changing some permison can "f" it up
i've been with android for 1 year and roughly 6 months ,been through an x10 a DHD
other various devices currently on the Mopho so im not a complete nub
i know how to root ,you install this ,push this ,do this , that etc
my question is how is the root part blocked and how is root acheived i dont mean how to root a certain device, i mean how do the exploits do what do they change ?
J35US said:
alright so i know what rooting is , my understanding is that before rooting i won't have administrative access to parts of the file system i think that means that
i'll only have access to "/mnt/sdcard" and not to "/"
after rooting i'll have full access to the entire filesystem
i know why manufacutures dont want people playing around in there ,my understanding - many things break easily deleting something or changing some permison can "f" it up
i've been with android for 1 year and roughly 6 months ,been through an x10 a DHD
other various devices currently on the Mopho so im not a complete nub
i know how to root ,you install this ,push this ,do this , that etc
my question is how is the root part blocked and how is root acheived i dont mean how to root a certain device, i mean how do the exploits do what do they change ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basically, the root section is blocked since it is set to r/o which normal user permissions cannot change. Rooting exploits change the system permissions and pushes the su binary in to give you superuser access which will then allow you full access to the system.
J35US said:
alright so i know what rooting is , my understanding is that before rooting i won't have administrative access to parts of the file system i think that means that
i'll only have access to "/mnt/sdcard" and not to "/"
after rooting i'll have full access to the entire filesystem
i know why manufacutures dont want people playing around in there ,my understanding - many things break easily deleting something or changing some permison can "f" it up
i've been with android for 1 year and roughly 6 months ,been through an x10 a DHD
other various devices currently on the Mopho so im not a complete nub
i know how to root ,you install this ,push this ,do this , that etc
my question is how is the root part blocked and how is root acheived i dont mean how to root a certain device, i mean how do the exploits do what do they change ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as far as I know, Stock rom's don't have a root function implemented at all.
to get root access, people use exploits to change permissions of the folders to gain access to the System partition, and then the SU (superuser) binaries are put into /system/xbin , and then install the superuser.apk (to make use of the su binary)
EDIT:
Damn ninjas
so rooting is basically changing a few permisions of folders that i wont normally have access to in order to put the SU binary into the fore mentioned path
just re itarating to make sure i understand
additionally if i won't normally have access to these folders then how do they change the permissions <-- maybe pushing it but ask an you shall receive
J35US said:
so rooting is basically changing a few permisions of folders that i wont normally have access to in order to put the SU binary into the fore mentioned path
just re itarating to make sure i understand
additionally if i won't normally have access to these folders then how do they change the permissions <-- maybe pushing it but ask an you shall receive
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could say it like that but it grants you far more access and unlocks many possibilities making you the superuser. Rooting uses exploits which bypass these set permissions.

Possible root direction.

First off, before I get into it; nay sayers and trolls please keep the thread clear. Hopefully we can figure something and more minds together normally equal victory.
Last night an idea hit me, I use a hack with Windows that allows admin permissions and I don't have enough info about android apks to say that it wont work.
In Windows (yes I know they are way different) if you can figure a way to temp change one sys program to be command prompt, you can add users, change admin passwords, delete logs and the such. Basically you own the box at that point. Im not going to go into the details cause as far as I know M $ hasnt fixed it and I dont want them to.
So if we can find an apk with root writing permissions and can change it to be a term emulator we should be able to chmod root.
I have made some attempts, using the hidden menu apk. I figure it can change the prop file it should have root privileges; with no luck. Maybe I am not repackaging the apk correctly or something?
If someone that knows more about apks thinks it may be a possibility lets get to cooking!
The Command Prompt trick you're talking about is very well known. It's been around since Vista and has yet to be patched and unlikely to be due to the nature of how it works.
Thanks Pirate, I know what versions it works with. But I guess no one knows how we can possibly accomplish the same in android.
Zer0C0oL said:
Thanks Pirate, I know what versions it works with. But I guess no one knows how we can possibly accomplish the same in android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you did, wouldn't you end up in a bootloop due to dm-verity, or is this not modifying /system?
Lifehags said:
If you did, wouldn't you end up in a bootloop due to dm-verity, or is this not modifying /system?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The way I understand the DMVerity mechanism is it rebuilds its trust chain every time a legitimate system change is made. When you perform a PRL update, the app makes a change to the system. This does not equal bootloops and I believe we can accomplish the same via this hack, if apk permissions can be loaned.
In the M$ hack you can't leave the change in place as it messes up other processes. Basically you use it to add a user with admin permissions/ open a backdoor and then cover your tracks: which one step is reverting the swap so there are no system issues for the users to find.
Alas, I fear the people this post should be reaching are the ones working towards claiming the bounty and for that reason collaboration will be non-existent.
@Zer0C0oL, please note that unless you are a developer working on a recovery, ROM or a Kernel, you should not be posting the development section. Please refer to this announcement if you have any questions.
I've moved this thread to the How-To section where it belongs.
Cheers :good:
Zer0C0oL said:
First off, before I get into it; nay sayers and trolls please keep the thread clear. Hopefully we can figure something and more minds together normally equal victory.
Last night an idea hit me, I use a hack with Windows that allows admin permissions and I don't have enough info about android apks to say that it wont work.
In Windows (yes I know they are way different) if you can figure a way to temp change one sys program to be command prompt, you can add users, change admin passwords, delete logs and the such. Basically you own the box at that point. Im not going to go into the details cause as far as I know M $ hasnt fixed it and I dont want them to.
So if we can find an apk with root writing permissions and can change it to be a term emulator we should be able to chmod root.
I have made some attempts, using the hidden menu apk. I figure it can change the prop file it should have root privileges; with no luck. Maybe I am not repackaging the apk correctly or something?
If someone that knows more about apks thinks it may be a possibility lets get to cooking!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure it may be possible however impossible to avoid tripping knox.

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