page.title=Security
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    <h2>In this document</h2>
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<p>Android is a modern mobile platform that was designed to be truly open. Android
  applications make use of advanced hardware and software, as well as local and
  served data, exposed through the platform to bring innovation and value to
  consumers. To protect that value, the platform must offer an application
  environment that ensures the security of users, data, applications, the device,
  and the network.</p>
<p>Securing an open platform requires a robust security architecture and
  rigorous security programs.  Android was designed with multi-layered
  security that provides the flexibility required for an open platform, while
  providing protection for all users of the platform. For information about
  reporting security issues and the update process, 
  see <a href="overview/updates-resources.html">Security Updates and Resources</a>.</p>
<p>Android was designed with developers in mind. Security controls were designed
  to reduce the burden on developers. Security-savvy developers can easily work
  with and rely on flexible security controls.  Developers less familiar with
  security will be protected by safe defaults.</p>
<p>Android was designed with device users in mind. Users are provided visibility
  into how applications work, and control over those applications.  This design
  includes the expectation that attackers would attempt to perform common
  attacks, such as social engineering attacks to convince device users to install
  malware, and attacks on third-party applications on Android. Android was
  designed to both reduce the probability of these attacks and greatly limit the
  impact of the attack in the event it was successful.</p>
<p>This documentation outlines the goals of the Android security program, describes the
  fundamentals of the Android security architecture, and answers the most
  pertinent questions for system architects and security analysts.  This document
  focuses on the security features of Android's core platform and does not
  discuss security issues that are unique to specific applications, such as those
  related to the browser or SMS application. Recommended best practices for
  building Android devices, deploying Android devices, or developing applications
  for Android are not the goal of this document and are provided elsewhere.</p>

<h2 id="background">Background</h2>
<p>Android provides an open source platform and application environment for mobile
  devices.</p>
<p>The sections and pages below describe the security features of the Android
  platform. <em>Figure 1</em> summarizes the security components and considerations of
  the various levels of the Android software stack. Each component assumes that
  the components below are properly secured. With the exception of a small amount
  of Android OS code running as root, all code above the Linux Kernel is
  restricted by the Application Sandbox.</p>
<p><img alt="Figure 1: Android software stack" src="images/android_software_stack.png" /></p>
<p><em>Figure 1: Android software stack.</em></p>
<p>The main Android platform building blocks are:</p>
<ul>
  <li>
    <p><strong>Device Hardware</strong>: Android runs on a wide range of hardware configurations
      including smart phones, tablets, and set-top-boxes.  Android is
      processor-agnostic, but it does take advantage of some hardware-specific
      security capabilities such as ARM v6 eXecute-Never.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p><strong>Android Operating System</strong>: The core operating system is built on top of
      the Linux kernel. All device resources, like camera functions, GPS data,
      Bluetooth functions, telephony functions, network connections, etc. are
      accessed through the operating system.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p><strong>Android Application Runtime</strong>: Android applications are most often written
      in the Java programming language and run in the Dalvik virtual machine.
      However, many applications, including core Android services and applications
      are native applications or include native libraries. Both Dalvik and native
      applications run within the same security environment, contained within the
      Application Sandbox. Applications get a dedicated part of the filesystem in
      which they can write private data, including databases and raw files.</p>
  </li>
</ul>
<p>Android applications extend the core Android operating system. There are two
  primary sources for applications:</p>
<ul>
  <li>
    <p><strong>Pre-Installed Applications</strong>: Android includes a set of pre-installed
      applications including phone, email, calendar, web browser, and contacts. These
      function both as user applications and to provide key device capabilities that
      can be accessed by other applications.  Pre-installed applications may be part
      of the open source Android platform, or they may be developed by an OEM for a
      specific device.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p><strong>User-Installed Applications</strong>: Android provides an open development
      environment supporting any third-party application. Google Play offers
      users hundreds of thousands of applications.</p>
  </li>
</ul>
<p>Google provides a set of cloud-based services that are available to any
  compatible Android device. The primary services are:</p>
<ul>
  <li>
    <p><strong>Google Play</strong>: Google Play is a collection of services that
      allow users to discover, install, and purchase applications from their Android
      device or the web. Google Play makes it easy for developers to reach Android
      users and potential customers. Google Play also provides community review,
      application <a href="https://developer.android.com/guide/publishing/licensing.html">license
        verification</a>, application security scanning, and other security services.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p><strong>Android Updates</strong>: The Android update service delivers new capabilities and
      security updates to Android devices, including updates through the web or over
      the air (OTA).</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p><strong>Application Services</strong>: Frameworks that allow Android applications to use
      cloud capabilities such as (<a href="https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/data/backup.html">backing
        up</a>) application
      data and settings and cloud-to-device messaging
      (<a href="https://developers.google.com/android/c2dm/">C2DM</a>)
      for push messaging.</p>
  </li>
</ul>
<p>These services are not part of the Android Open Source Project and are out
  of scope for this document. But they are relevant to the security of most
  Android devices, so a related security document titled “Google Services for
  Android: Security Overview” is available.</p>
<h2 id="android-security-program-overview">Security Program Overview</h2>
<p>Early on in development, the core Android development team recognized that a
  robust security model was required to enable a vigorous ecosystem of
  applications and devices built on and around the Android platform and supported
  by cloud services. As a result, through its entire development lifecycle,
  Android has been subjected to a professional security program. The Android team
  has had the opportunity to observe how other mobile, desktop, and server platforms
  prevented and reacted to security issues and built a security
  program to address weak points observed in other offerings.</p>
<p>The key components of the Android Security Program include:</p>
<ul>
  <li><strong>Design Review</strong>: The Android security process begins early in the
    development lifecycle with the creation of a rich and configurable security
    model and design. Each major feature of the platform is reviewed by engineering
    and security resources, with appropriate security controls integrated into the
    architecture of the system.</li>
  <li><strong>Penetration Testing and Code Review</strong>: During the development of the
    platform, Android-created and open source components are subject to vigorous
    security reviews. These reviews are performed by the Android Security Team,
    Google’s Information Security Engineering team, and independent security
    consultants. The goal of these reviews is to identify weaknesses and possible
    vulnerabilities well before the platform is open sourced, and to simulate the
    types of analysis that will be performed by external security experts upon
    release.</li>
  <li><strong>Open Source and Community Review</strong>: The Android Open Source Project enables
    broad security review by any interested party. Android also uses open source
    technologies that have undergone significant external security review,
    such as the Linux kernel.  Google Play provides a forum for users and companies
    to provide information about specific applications directly to users.</li>
  <li><strong>Incident Response</strong>: Even with all of these precautions, security issues
    may occur after shipping, which is why the Android project has created a
    comprehensive security response process. A full-time Android security team
    constantly monitors Android-specific and the general security community for
    discussion of potential vulnerabilities. Upon the discovery of legitimate
    issues, the Android team has a response process that enables the rapid
    mitigation of vulnerabilities to ensure that potential risk to all Android
    users is minimized.  These cloud-supported responses can include updating the
    Android platform (over-the-air updates), removing applications from Google
    Play, and removing applications from devices in the field.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="android-platform-security-architecture">Platform Security Architecture</h2>
<p>Android seeks to be the most secure and usable operating system for mobile
  platforms by re-purposing traditional operating system security controls to:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Protect user data</li>
  <li>Protect system resources (including the network)</li>
  <li>Provide application isolation</li>
</ul>
<p>To achieve these objectives, Android provides these key security features:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Robust security at the OS level through the Linux kernel</li>
  <li>Mandatory application sandbox for all applications</li>
  <li>Secure interprocess communication</li>
  <li>Application signing</li>
  <li>Application-defined and user-granted permissions</li>
</ul>