XPrivacy hooking apps

[Gitoffthelawn]

Logcat reveals that XPrivacy hooks apps even when XPrivacy is disabled for those apps (slider turned off).

Is this intentional, or a bug?

(Perhaps it hooks every app, and then tests to see if it is enabled/disabled for that app?)

Test version: XPrivacy Pro v3.6.19 (481) running in compatibility mode

[M66B]

It is neither intentional, not a bug.
When the slider is turned off, the hooks will do nothing.

[Gitoffthelawn]

Why hook it at all? Although not processor-intensive, it adds some overhead to the OS.

[M66B]

First of all most hooks (about 400) are done at system startup. These books are shared for all applications and this cannot be changed.

There are a few hooks which are done just before application startup, mostly needed to dynamically hook Google stuff. These could in theory be avoided when the slider is off, but it is just a handful hooks for methods not often used, so it is not worthwhile to write code for this.

[Gitoffthelawn]

Thanks. Perhaps classify this issue as a low priority enhancement request in case someone else wants to code it?

I see hooks for apps such as SU, Greenify, firewalls, and other sensitive apps (even though XPrivacy is disabled for them). No problems, but want to keep everything running smoothly. :-)

[ChromeModz]

This is definitely NOT low priority... I see apps crashing because of the hooks

[M66B]

XPrivacy is open source, so you can always take a look yourself.

[ChromeModz]

Wish I was a programmer myself. How much $ to fix this?

[M66B]

XPrivacy is a hobby project and not a commercial project, so this cannot be fixed for money.

[Namnodorel]

Well, he can always pay someone to create a PR...

[ChromeModz]

A hobby project requires more incentive than a commercial project

[M66B]

@ChromeModz tell that to the Xposed developer.

Let me repeat here once more what I have written already too many times in the XPrivacy XDA forum: Xposed is not a suitable basis to put a lot of work into XPrivacy anymore. Basically Xposed is dead. Furthermore, rooting has/is becoming increasingly difficult, so fewer people can run Xposed/XPrivacy. So, the correct 'incentive' is to do nothing anymore.

Edit: I have just learned that there was an official Xposed version released for Android Nougat. However, that doesn't change the situation for me. See also here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=74083373&postcount=18161

[ChromeModz]

Gotcha. How exactly do I allow /proc/stats but block everything else?

[ChromeModz]

/proc/stat*

[Namnodorel]

Any alternative ways? I admittedly don't know much about how XPrivacy does its magic, but something like integrating it into a custom ROM would remove the Xposed dependency completely

[M66B]

@Namnodorel that was called PDroid and that didn't go well.

[Namnodorel]

That still looks very much like an app to me, at least what Google spit me out... I mean a real integration into the OS, not a patch

[M66B]

PDroid was a real integration into the OS. The real problem was which version/variant/flavor of Android, which resulted in a working solution only for a few devices and a maintenance nightmare.

[ChromeModz]

@M66B

#1320

I dont get the instructions you provided here when you said

"You can white or black list any /proc file using on demand restricting now."

[ChromeModz]

additionally, i dont think you can call xposed DEAD when nougat support was just officially released

Especially when he claims oreo support would be quick

[M66B]

@ChromeModz I still call Xposed dead, at least as basis for XPrivacy, because history has proven we cannot rely on timely updates. Building something serious like XPrivacy on Xposed is risking wasting a lot of time that I can use better.