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Analysis of the Impact of Permissions on the Vulnerability of Mobile Applications

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Abstract

In this paper, we explored the potential risks of authorizations unexplained by benign apps in order to maintain the confidentiality and availability of personal data. More precisely, we focused on the mechanisms for managing risk permissions under Android to limit the impact of these permissions on vulnerability vectors. We analyzed a sample of forty (40) apps developed in Burkina Faso and identified abuses of dangerous authorizations in several apps in relation to their functional needs. We also discovered combinations of dangerous permissions because it exposes the confidentiality of the data. This analysis allowed us to establish a link between permissions and vulnerabilities, as a source of risk of data security. These risks facilitate exploits of privileges that should be reduced. We have therefore proposed the need to coordinate resolution mechanisms to the administrators, developers, users to better guide the required permissions by benign apps on Android.

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Correspondence to Gouayon Koala .

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© 2020 ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering

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Koala, G., Bassolé, D., Zerbo/Sabané, A., Bissyandé, T.F., Sié, O. (2020). Analysis of the Impact of Permissions on the Vulnerability of Mobile Applications. In: Zitouni, R., Agueh, M., Houngue, P., Soude, H. (eds) e-Infrastructure and e-Services for Developing Countries. AFRICOMM 2019. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 311. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41593-8_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41593-8_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-41592-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-41593-8

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