Security:
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Can you explain the difference between authentication and authorization in Android app development?
- Authentication verifies the user’s identity, while authorization specifies the actions a user can perform. For example, in a banking app, authentication confirms the user’s identity, and authorization dictates whether they can view their account balance or make a transaction.
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How can you securely store sensitive data in an Android app?
- You can securely store sensitive data in Android by utilizing the Android Keystore, offering a hardware-backed storage solution. You can encrypt data with keys generated and managed by the Keystore, ensuring it’s protected from unauthorized access.
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Why is it important to use HTTPS for network communication in Android apps?
- HTTPS ensures secure communication by encrypting data between the client and server. It prevents eavesdropping and data tampering during transmission. You can implement HTTPS by obtaining an SSL certificate for your server and configuring your app to use it.
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Explain how you request and handle runtime permissions in Android.
- To request permissions at runtime, you should use the requestPermissions() method.After you grant permissions, you should handle them within the onRequestPermissionsResult() method. It’s essential to check for permission status before using any sensitive features to ensure the user’s consent.
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What is code obfuscation, and why is it important for Android app security?
- Code obfuscation is the process of making your code more challenging to understand by renaming classes, methods, and variables. It’s important for security as it helps deter reverse engineering and makes it harder for attackers to understand the app’s logic and vulnerabilities.
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Can you give an example of how you’d implement user authentication in an Android app using Firebase Authentication?
- Sure, Firebase Authentication provides a simple way to implement user authentication. You can use Firebase UI or Firebase SDK to authenticate users with email, phone number, Google, or other methods. Once authenticated, you can control access to app features based on the user’s identity.
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How would you store an API key securely in an Android app?
- To store an API key securely, I’d recommend using Android Keystore to encrypt the key. You can subsequently access it as required, decrypt it, and utilize it for making network requests. This ensures the API key is not exposed in plain text in the app’s code.
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Explain how you can implement Certificate Pinning for added security in network communication.
- Certificate pinning involves associating a server’s SSL certificate with your app. You validate that the server’s certificate matches the one stored in your app, adding an extra layer of security. If the certificates don’t match, your app won’t trust the connection.
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How do you handle the case when a user denies a permission request in your app?
- If a user denies a permission request, it’s crucial to provide context and rationale for the permission. You can also guide users to the app settings to manually grant the permission or inform them about the features they won’t have access to due to the denied permission.
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Can you give an example of a code obfuscation tool or technique you’ve used in your Android projects?
- Developers commonly use ProGuard as a code obfuscation tool for Android. It renames classes and methods, removes unused code, and optimizes the app, making it more challenging for reverse engineers to understand the code.
