Android 5.0 Lollipop SDK Makes Rooting More Difficult And Overriding Impose Serious Risk To Attacks

ChainFire opened up the current situation of rooting method on Android 5.0 Lollipop after Google used SELinux to improve security measures. Unlike with previous Android versions, rooting Android 5.0 is more difficult and users will need to weigh things between security and administrative access.

ChainFire Explains Rooting Status On Android 5.0 Lollipop

ChainFire posted the current situation of rooting status on Android 5.0 Lollipop at Google Plus. Apparently, the SELinux security implementation on the new Android operating system version also makes rooting access more difficult than before in addition to improving protection against attacks. These security patches on Android 5.0 Lollipop can even block the SuperSU daemon start-up script.

"Recently, they've started requiring all started services to run in their own SELinux context, instead of init. Developers and security guys following AOPS have known this was coming; AOSP builds have been logging complaints about this specific service not having its own context for a while now," a part of ChainFire's post at Google Plus.

ChainFire also explained the negative aspects of rooting on Android 5.0 Lollipop and ways to make it possible. However, it requires a modified kernel package in order to gain root access on any Android devices running the latest Android version.

Factors On Rooting An Android 5.0 Lollipop Device

Root access will deliver the usual benefits to any user desiring full administrative privileges. Doing so will allow apps requiring root access to modify several system functionalities such as overclocking or under clocking CPU, adjusting the memory and installation of famous custom ROMs like CyanogenMod.

But the downside on the Android 5.0 Lollipop root access is as big as what users will gain from it. SELinux enforcing increases protection from vulnerabilities and malware attacks which root access can significantly decrease. Here are some factors currently on the table with Android 5.0 rooting status:

1. Security implementations on Android 5.0 affect all apps whether asking for root permission or not.

2. Read access on apps face limitation due additional security on Android 5.0.

3. Devices with locked bootloaders are unlikely to gain root access since changing the kernel is not possible.

4. Overriding the security implementations will increase vulnerability to attacks.

5. Users who want root access must purchase Android 5.0 devices that are not locked or bound to network carriers.