Android Internals Volume I

An in-depth exploration of the inner-workings of Android: In Volume I, we take the perspective of the Power User as we delve into the foundations of Android, filesystems, partitions, boot process, native daemons and services.

There are more than one billion Android devices in use today, each one a potential target. Unfortunately, many fundamental Android security features have been little more than a black box to all but the most elite security professionals—until now. In Android Security Internals, top Android security expert Nikolay Elenkov takes us under the hood of the Android security sys­tem. Elenkov describes Android security archi­tecture from the bottom up, delving into the imple­mentation of major security-related components and subsystems, like Binder IPC, permissions, cryptographic providers, and device administration. You’ll learn: –How Android permissions are declared, used, and enforced –How Android manages application packages and employs code signing to verify their authenticity –How Android implements the Java Cryptography Architecture (JCA) and Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE) frameworks –About Android’s credential storage system and APIs, which let applications store cryptographic keys securely –About the online account management framework and how Google accounts integrate with Android –About the implementation of verified boot, disk encryption, lockscreen, and other device security features –How Android’s bootloader and recovery OS are used to perform full system updates, and how to obtain root access With its unprecedented level of depth and detail, Android Security Internals is a must-have for any security-minded Android developer.

Embedded Android is for Developers wanting to create embedded systems based on Android and for those wanting to port Android to new hardware, or creating a custom development environment. Hackers and moders will also find this an indispensible guide to how Android works.

An in-depth look into Mac OS X and iOS kernels Powering Macs, iPhones, iPads and more, OS X and iOS are becoming ubiquitous. When it comes to documentation, however, much of them are shrouded in mystery. Cocoa and Carbon, the application frameworks, are neatly described, but system programmers find the rest lacking. This indispensable guide illuminates the darkest corners of those systems, starting with an architectural overview, then drilling all the way to the core. Provides you with a top down view of OS X and iOS Walks you through the phases of system startup—both Mac (EFi) and mobile (iBoot) Explains how processes, threads, virtual memory, and filesystems are maintained Covers the security architecture Reviews the internal Apis used by the system—BSD and Mach Dissects the kernel, XNU, into its sub components: Mach, the BSD Layer, and I/o kit, and explains each in detail Explains the inner workings of device drivers From architecture to implementation, this book is essential reading if you want to get serious about the internal workings of Mac OS X and iOS.

The Complete Guide to Customizing Android for New IoT and Embedded Devices Inside the Android OS is a comprehensive guide and reference for technical professionals who want to customize and integrate Android into embedded devices, and construct or maintain successful Android-based products. Replete with code examples, it encourages you to create your own working code as you read--whether for personal insight or a professional project in the fast-growing marketplace for smart IoT devices. Expert Android developers G. Blake Meike and Larry Schiefer respond to the real-world needs of embedded and IoT developers moving to Android. After presenting an accessible introduction to the Android environment, they guide you through boot, subsystem startup, hardware interfaces, and application support--offering essential knowledge without ever becoming obscure or overly specialized. Reflecting Android's continuing evolution, Meike and Schiefer help you take advantage of relevant innovations, from the ART application runtime environment to Project Treble. Throughout, a book-length project covers all you need to start implementing your own custom Android devices, one step at a time. You will: Assess advantages and tradeoffs using Android in smart IoT devices Master practical processes for customizing Android Set up a build platform, download the AOSP source, and build an Android image Explore Android's components, architecture, source code, and development tools Understand essential kernel modules that are unique to Android Use Android's extensive security infrastructure to protect devices and users Walk through Android boot, from power-on through system initialization Explore subsystem startup, and use Zygote containers to control application processes Interface with hardware through Android's Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) Provide access to Java programs via Java Native Interface (JNI) Gain new flexibility by using binderized HAL (Project Treble) Implement native C/C++ or Java client apps without bundling vendor libraries

Want to build apps for Android devices? This book is the perfect way to master the fundamentals. Written by experts who have taught this mobile platform to hundreds of developers in large organizations and startups alike, this gentle introduction shows experienced object-oriented programmers how to use Android’s basic building blocks to create user interfaces, store data, connect to the network, and more. Throughout the book, you’ll build a Twitter-like application, adding new features with each chapter. You’ll also create your own toolbox of code patterns to help you program any type of Android application with ease. Become familiar with the Android platform and how it fits into the mobile ecosystem Dive into the Android stack, including its application framework and the APK application package Learn Android’s building blocks: Activities, Intents, Services, Content Providers, and Broadcast Receivers Create basic Android user interfaces and organize UI elements in Views and Layouts Build a service that uses a background process to update data in your application