DynDebloater: Dynamically Debloating Unwanted Features of Android Apps without APK Modification

Modern Android apps are bloated with rarely used features, increasing resource use and security risks. Static debloating methods modify APKs but struggle with anti-tampering and require reinstallations. This paper introduces DynDebloater, the first dynamic Android app debloater, built on a customized OS and management app. It intercepts method calls via a modified ART for DEX methods and removes native method code at runtime, with a graceful termination. A user study shows DynDebloater effectively debloats even tamper-resistant apps, with high stability, satisfaction, and improved user experience. The code and data example are available at https://github.com/zzc1010/DynDebloater, and the demonstration video can be found at https://youtu.be/zEzBMxf1Vf8.

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Publication Details

Published
2025-06-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1145/3696630.3728580
Primary Topic
Advanced Malware Detection Techniques
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

DynDebloater: Dynamically Debloating Unwanted Features of Android Apps without APK Modification

Lwin Khin Shar, Ferdian Thung, Wei Minn, Xing Hu et al.
Advanced Malware Detection Techniques
article

DynDebloater: Dynamically Debloating Unwanted Features of Android Apps without APK Modification

Lwin Khin Shar, Ferdian Thung, Wei Minn, Xing Hu, Debin Gao, David Lo, Yan Naing Tun, Jiakun Liu, Zicheng Zhang
article en

Abstract

Modern Android apps are bloated with rarely used features, increasing resource use and security risks. Static debloating methods modify APKs but struggle with anti-tampering and require reinstallations. This paper introduces DynDebloater, the first dynamic Android app debloater, built on a customized OS and management app. It intercepts method calls via a modified ART for DEX methods and removes native method code at runtime, with a graceful termination. A user study shows DynDebloater effectively debloats even tamper-resistant apps, with high stability, satisfaction, and improved user experience. The code and data example are available at https://github.com/zzc1010/DynDebloater, and the demonstration video can be found at https://youtu.be/zEzBMxf1Vf8.

Zhejiang University (CN), Singapore Management University (SG)
National Research Foundation Singapore, Singapore Management University
Openalex Percentile: Top 75%
Advanced Malware Detection Techniques
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DynDebloater: Dynamically Debloating Unwanted Features of Android Apps without APK Modification — Lwin Khin Shar, Ferdian Thung, et al. · (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS