cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/42024710

Android apps are blocking sideloading and forcing Google Play versions instead

You might sideload an Android app, or manually install its APK package, if you’re using a custom version of Android that doesn’t include Google’s Play Store. Alternately, the app might be experimental, under development, or perhaps no longer maintained and offered by its developer. Until now, the existence of sideload-ready APKs on the web was something that seemed to be tolerated, if warned against, by Google.

This quiet standstill is being shaken up by a new feature in Google’s Play Integrity API. As reported by Android Authority, developer tools to push “remediation” dialogs during sideloading debuted at Google’s I/O conference in May, have begun showing up on users’ phones. Sideloaders of apps from the British shop Tesco, fandom app BeyBlade X, and ChatGPT have reported “Get this app from Play” prompts, which cannot be worked around. An Android gaming handheld user encountered a similarly worded prompt from Diablo Immortal on their device three months ago.

Google’s Play Integrity API is how apps have previously blocked access when loaded onto phones that are in some way modified from a stock OS with all Google Play integrations intact. Recently, a popular two-factor authentication app blocked access on rooted phones, including the security-minded GrapheneOS. Apps can call the Play Integrity API and get back an “integrity verdict,” relaying if the phone has a “trustworthy” software environment, has Google Play Protect enabled, and passes other software checks.

Graphene has questioned the veracity of Google’s Integrity API and SafetyNet Attestation systems, recommending instead standard Android hardware attestation. Rahman notes that apps do not have to take an all-or-nothing approach to integrity checking. Rather than block installation entirely, apps could call on the API only during sensitive actions, issuing a warning there. But not having a Play Store connection can also deprive developers of metrics, allow for installation on incompatible devices (and resulting bad reviews), and, of course, open the door to paid app piracy.

    • haui@lemmy.giftedmc.com
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      29 days ago

      Hi friend! Good to see this insightful comment comes from you.

      Iirc there should be a way to complain to the authorities about this, right?

      • onlinepersona@programming.dev
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        29 days ago

        Hey :) Hope you’re doing well!

        That is actually a good question. Probably the consumer protection agency would be a place to report it. There must also be non-profit watchdogs, but I can’t think of any besides NOYB (none of your business) who are all about privacy.

        Anti Commercial-AI license

    • Robust Mirror@aussie.zone
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      28 days ago

      Would it still apply if it’s not Google forcing it, but simply giving developers the choice? This doesn’t seem any different to putting code in your game to make sure it was launched from the epic games store for example.

  • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘@infosec.pub
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    29 days ago

    Is the Aurora store affected by this? Technically, it downloads it from Play Store, doesn’t it? So it shouldn’t be affected, right?

    • onlinepersona@programming.dev
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      29 days ago

      It’s not the store that’s the problem. The integrity API is a web API. First the app collects data about your phone locally and then it sends it to google asking “is this phone ‘safe’?”. Google then responds with how safe it believes the phone to be and the app itself makes a decision. The alternative app store is completely out of the loop.

      Anti Commercial-AI license

      • koper@feddit.nl
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        29 days ago

        “Safe” being defined in a user-hostile manier, i.e. with unmodified Google components and not rooted.

        “Google-controlled” would be a better word.

      • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘@infosec.pub
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        29 days ago

        Ah. I misunderstood. I thought the store answers the call. If Google answers, that could be a problem for custom roms, censorship, and privacy.

        • onlinepersona@programming.dev
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          29 days ago

          Indeed. I’m not sure what the format is and whether a man in the middle or fake service could be run on the device, which pretends to be google’s attestation service and just responds with a “yep, this device is fine” in the correct format. It may be easier than rewriting an entire app and be applicable to other apps as well.

          Anti Commercial-AI license

          • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘@infosec.pub
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            29 days ago

            This will be their live trial on web attestation, and they’ll use it as a “see how well this works here? We can roll out to the entire web” test. Google needs to be degoogled.

    • Moonrise2473@feddit.it
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      29 days ago

      Yes as the API is checking from where it has been installed. If the installer isn’t the play store app, then the same APK installed manually, would give an error.

      It is going to be an incredible hassle to install geofenced apps

  • jaxiiruff@lemmy.zip
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    29 days ago

    This was definitely done to spite GrayJay no doubt about it since they clearly state in the app to download the version from the website rather than the play version.

    • LordRishav@programming.dev
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      29 days ago

      This won’t affect GrayJay at all. Play Integrity is only for developers to implement anti-sideloading features. Google is not forcing it upon apps.

  • ccdfa@lemm.ee
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    29 days ago

    If this stops revanced from working it will be my push to install grapheneos. I don’t need the wallet function really.

    • FeatherConstrictor@sh.itjust.works
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      28 days ago

      I don’t know what I’ve been doing wrong but revanced has already not been working for me. I’ve insled it correctly a couple of times and I’ve tried a few times since I couldn’t to uninstall and reinstall with whatever the latest instructions were to no avail :/

    • katy ✨@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      28 days ago

      i believe it’s opt in by the app developers so unless the revanced developers specifically opt in to it, there’s nothing to worry about

    • Draconic NEO@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      27 days ago

      The mount method using root will still work since it writes over the app rather than installing it as an update, will still seem like it was installed from play, same way it still thinks it’s google signed in that state.

      • ccdfa@lemm.ee
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        29 days ago

        Because I do like the wallet function. I just don’t need it. But I greatly prefer an ad free life to the convenience of wallet.

    • MrSoup@lemmy.zipOP
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      29 days ago

      This is an API, so the app must use this. F-Droid apps will never use this.

    • MrSoup@lemmy.zipOP
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      29 days ago

      If they are able to remove ads like in modded spotify, then they are probably able to remove Play Store check too.

      • lud@lemm.ee
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        29 days ago

        Maybe…

        We don’t know yet. It would depend on how it was integrated.

        But yes you would need to crack the app.

  • Moonrise2473@feddit.it
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    28 days ago

    What if the apps are installed via adb using

    pm install -i "com.android.vending" /sdcard/yourapp.apk

    ?

    For the system then the app has been installed from the play store

    Or it checks online to see if the current user has a (free?) license?