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https://github.com/elrashedy1992/apknife

APKnife is an advanced APK analysis and modification tool designed for security researchers and ethical hackers. It allows users to extract, analyze, modify, and sign APK files. The tool provides features like APK extraction, AndroidManifest.xml editing, API call detection, vulnerability scanning, and APK signing
https://github.com/elrashedy1992/apknife

android android-application android-pentesting android-security android-studio apk apk-analysis apk-modificator apk-reverse-engineering apktool cypersecuirty ethical-hacking ethical-hacking-tools ethicalhacking mobile-secuirty pentesting

Last synced: 10 months ago
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APKnife is an advanced APK analysis and modification tool designed for security researchers and ethical hackers. It allows users to extract, analyze, modify, and sign APK files. The tool provides features like APK extraction, AndroidManifest.xml editing, API call detection, vulnerability scanning, and APK signing

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README 

          

# APKnife: The Cyber Blade of APK Domination 🔪🧸





  APKnife Cover




APKnife – The Double-Edged Blade of APK Analysis 🔪



Fear the Blade, Trust the Power!



APKnife is an advanced tool for APK analysis, modification, and security auditing. Whether you're a security researcher, penetration tester, or Android developer, APKnife provides powerful features for reverse engineering, decompiling, modifying, and analyzing APK files.



---



## 🚀 Features & Capabilities



- ✅ Extract & decompile APKs into readable formats

- ✅ Modify & repackage APKs effortlessly

- ✅ Analyze APKs for security vulnerabilities

- ✅ Edit AndroidManifest.xml & Smali code

- ✅ Extract Java source code from an APK

- ✅ Detect Remote Access Trojans (RATs) & malware

- ✅ Decode binary XML files & scan for API calls

- ✅ Change APK metadata (icon, name, package name)

- ✅ Identify security risks like excessive permissions

- ✅ Sign APKs for smooth installation



---



## 🔧 Installation



### 📌 Prerequisites



Ensure you have the following installed on your system:



- **Python 3.12**

- **Java (JDK 8 or later)**

- **apktool**

- **zipalign**

- **keytool**



### 🛠 Setting Up a Python Virtual Environment



Before installing APKnife, it's recommended to set up a Python virtual environment to avoid package conflicts.



1️⃣ **Create a Python Virtual Environment:**



```

python3 -m venv venv

source venv/bin/activate  # On Linux/macOS

venv\Scripts\activate  # On Windows

```



2️⃣ **Install Required Packages**



Once the virtual environment is activated, install APKnife:



```

pip install apknife

```



---



## 📥 Installing Rust (Required for APKnife)



APKnife requires Rust for building. Follow the installation steps based on your OS:



### 🐧 On Linux:



```

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

```



Then follow the on-screen instructions.



### 🍏 On macOS (Using Homebrew):



```

brew install rust

```



### 🖥️ On Windows:



1. Visit [rustup.rs](https://rustup.rs/) and install Rust.

2. Verify installation:



```

rustc --version

```



---



## ⚠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues



### ❌ Issue Installing Rust on Termux



Ensure Termux is up to date:



```

pkg update && pkg upgrade

```



Install required build tools:



```

pkg install clang make python rust

```



### ❌ Issues Installing APKnife



- **Rust not installed properly?** Ensure it's correctly installed via rustup or your package manager.

- **Python conflicts?** If there are issues with virtual environments, reset it:



```

rm -rf venv

python3 -m venv venv

source venv/bin/activate

```



### ✅ Verifying Installed Versions



```

python --version

rustc --version

```



---



## 🌍 Setting Up Rust Environment Variables



### 🐧 On Linux/macOS



```

nano ~/.bashrc # For bash

nano ~/.zshrc   # For zsh

```



Add this line at the end:



```

export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"

```



Apply changes:



```

source ~/.bashrc  # For bash

source ~/.zshrc   # For zsh

```



### 🖥️ On Windows



1. Open "Environment Variables" from the Start menu.

2. Edit Path under System Variables and add:



```

C:\Users\\.cargo\bin

```



3. Click OK and restart your terminal.



Verify the setup:



```

cargo --version

rustc --version

```



---



## 📥 Installing APKnife



```bash

pip install apknife

```



---



## 📜 Usage



### 🖥️ Interactive Mode



To enter interactive mode, run:



```bash

python3 apknife.py interactive

```



This will launch a command-line interface for executing APKnife commands.



---



## 🛠️ Available Commands



### 🟢 Extract APK Contents



```bash

python3 apknife.py extract -i target.apk -o extracted/

```



### 🟢 Modify & Rebuild APK



```bash

python3 apknife.py build -i extracted/ -o modified.apk

```



### 🟢 Sign APK



```bash

apknife sign -i modified.apk

```



### 🟢 Analyze APK for Vulnerabilities



```bash

apknife scan_vulnerabilities -i target.apk

```



### 🟢 Detect Remote Access Trojans (RATs)



```bash

apknife catch_rat -i malicious.apk

```



### 🟢 Extract Java Source Code



```bash

apknife extract-java -i target.apk -o src_folder

```



### 🟢 Change APK Name



```bash

apknife modify-apk --name -i app.apk

```



### 🟢 Change APK Icon



```bash

apknife modify-apk --icon new_icon.png -i app.apk

```



### 🟢 Modify Package Name



```bash

apknife modify-apk --package com.example.example -i app.apk

```



### 🟢 Modify Multiple APK Attributes



```bash

apknife modify-apk --name new_name --package new.package.name --icon anysize.any -o modified_apk.apk

```



### 🟢 Scan APK Permissions



```bash

apknife scan_permissions -i target.apk

```



---



## 👇 Help Menu



### 🟢 **Extract APK Contents**

Extract the contents of an APK file.



```bash

python3 apknife.py extract -i target.apk -o extracted/

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the input APK file.

- **`-o`**: Directory to save the extracted files.



---



### 🟢 **Build APK**

Rebuild an APK from extracted files.



```bash

python3 apknife.py build -i extracted/ -o modified.apk

```



- **`-i`**: Directory containing the extracted files.

- **`-o`**: Path to save the rebuilt APK.



---



### 🟢 **Sign APK**

Sign an APK file.



```bash

apknife sign -i modified.apk

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file to sign.



---



### 🟢 **Analyze APK**

Analyze an APK for security vulnerabilities.



```bash

apknife analyze -i target.apk

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file to analyze.



---



### 🟢 **Edit Manifest**

Edit the `AndroidManifest.xml` of an APK.



```bash

apknife edit-manifest -i target.apk

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.



---



### 🟢 **Decompile to Smali**

Decompile an APK to Smali code.



```bash

apknife smali -i target.apk -o smali_output/

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.

- **`-o`**: Directory to save the decompiled Smali code.



---



### 🟢 **Decode Manifest**

Decode the `AndroidManifest.xml` of an APK.



```bash

apknife decode_manifest -i target.apk -o output_dir/

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.

- **`-o`**: Directory to save the decoded manifest.



---



### 🟢 **Find onCreate Methods**

Find `onCreate` methods in an APK.



```bash

apknife find-oncreate -i target.apk

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.



---



### 🟢 **Find API Calls**

Find API calls in an APK.



```bash

apknife find-api -i target.apk

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.



---



### 🟢 **Scan for Vulnerabilities**

Scan an APK for vulnerabilities.



```bash

apknife scan-vulnerabilities -i target.apk

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.



---



### 🟢 **Scan Permissions**

Scan and list permissions used by an APK.



```bash

apknife scan-permissions -i target.apk

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.



---



### 🟢 **Catch RAT**

Analyze an APK for Remote Access Trojan (RAT) indicators.



```bash

apknife catch_rat -i malicious.apk

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.



---



### 🟢 **Extract Java Source Code**

Extract Java source code from an APK.



```bash

apknife extract-java -i target.apk -o src_folder/

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.

- **`-o`**: Directory to save the extracted Java source code.



---



### 🟢 **Extract Sensitive Data**

Extract sensitive data from an APK.



```bash

apknife extract-sensitive -i target.apk -o sensitive_data.json

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.

- **`-o`**: Path to save the extracted sensitive data (JSON format).



---



### 🟢 **Modify APK Metadata**

Modify an APK's metadata (name, icon, package name).



```bash

apknife modify-apk -i target.apk --name "New App Name" --icon new_icon.png --package com.new.package

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.

- **`--name`**: New app name.

- **`--icon`**: Path to the new icon (any size/format).

- **`--package`**: New package name.



---



### 🟢 **Extract DEX Files**

Extract DEX files from an APK.



```bash

apknife extract-dex -i target.apk -o dex_output/

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.

- **`-o`**: Directory to save the extracted DEX files.



---



### 🟢 **Scan for Protection Mechanisms**

Scan an APK for protection mechanisms (e.g., Firewall, ProGuard).



```bash

apknife waf -i target.apk

```



- **`-i`**: Path to the APK file.



---



### 🟢 **Interactive Mode**

Launch APKnife in interactive mode.



```bash

python3 apknife.py interactive

```



---



### 🟢 **Help Menu**

Display the help menu with all available commands.



```

apknife -h

```



---



### 🟢 **Update Commands**

Reload the commands from the external file.



```

apknife update-commands

```



---



### 🟢 **List Commands**

Display the current list of available commands.



```

apknife list-commands

```



---



### 🟢 **Exit Interactive Mode**

Exit the interactive shell.



```

exit

```



---



## ⚠️ Legal Disclaimer



This tool is designed for educational and security research purposes only. Unauthorized use of APKnife on third-party applications without permission is illegal. The developers are not responsible for any misuse.



---



## 📜 License



APKnife is released under the MIT License – You are free to modify and distribute it for legal use.



---



## 💡 Contributions & Support



🚀 Contributions are welcome! Fork the repo, submit pull requests, and report issues. Let's make APKnife even better!



---



**APKnife – The Double-Edged Blade of APK Analysis 🔪🧸**



All rights reserved to **MR_nightmare**.

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