Hey everyone 👋
As part of my personal shift from Android development into cybersecurity, I wanted to better understand how apps handle user privacy — especially when it comes to granted permissions.
So, I built a simple Android tool that scans installed third-party apps and displays which permissions they’ve actually been granted.
🔍 What the App Does
This app:
- Lists only third-party apps (no system clutter)
- Shows granted permissions only — not requested
- Categorizes apps based on access types (Camera, Location, etc.)
- Has a built-in search barr to quickly find suspicious apps
- Uses Material Design with a clean UI
📱 Why I Built It
I was surprised by how many apps quietly hold permissions I forgot I gave them — especially older ones I rarely open.
Some apps had:
- Full access to contacts ☎️
- Camera permission without photo features 📷
- Location access while never showing a map 🧭
That felt… wrong.
So this tool was my way to expplore how user-granted permissions really work in practice — and how little visibility Android gives you out of the box.
🛠️ Tech Used
- Java + Android SDK (no external libs)
- PackageManager API
- RecyclerView with live filtering
- Target SDK 33 (privacy-safe, modern)
🔗 GitHub Repo:
Feel free to fork, test, or suggest improvements!
🤔 What I Learned
- Android permission handling is more fragmented than I thought
- Some “granted” permissions are inherited silently from package updates
- Categorizing apps by permision type actually helps understand risk
🙌 Final Thoughts
This was my way of applying old Android skills to a new path in mobile privacy and scurity. If you're curious about app behavior or want to audit your own phone, this might be a fun project to try or contribute to.
If you have suggestions (or want to break it 😅), let me know!
Cheers,
Mohammad
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