A Self-Compiling Android Data Obfuscation Tool
This addresses data security for Android users in high-risk situations, though it appears incremental as it builds on existing encryption and obfuscation techniques.
The paper tackles the problem of securing data on smartphones against confiscation by introducing DroidStealth, an Android tool that combines encryption and obfuscation to hide content, including transforming its appearance for stealth without special permissions.
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.