What is Mod APK (Application): A-to-Z Guide for Beginners!

by

In today’s article, I am going to tell you about What is Mod APK (Application), so if you want to know about it, then keep reading this article. Because I am going to give you complete information about it, so let’s start.

Numerous ways have been launched and are being developed daily to employ unethical means. This is mostly done to gain users’ data and their private information, which is later on used to threaten and use data to blank bank accounts and others. Mod Apks is one such developed method. However, they have benefits and were started to enhance the user experience and provide them with free content. But now it has become a great source of data phishing.

Mod APKs are original application content that has been recreated or edited in order to provide users with a good experience while also earning money through advertisements. Many mod APKs were customized by freshers in coding to know their skills, making it public to know what is wrong with that from users. Some are developed on fan demand for particular features. Besides this APKs are also developed for data hampering and for other unethical means.

What is Mod APK

However users are hesitating to use APKs as it results in prone privacy. Therefore, to provide them with information about mod APKs, we have come up with an article enriching all those things you need to know about APKs. This article will give you a complete understanding of APKs, how to keep your apps safe, how to create your mod APKs, and all the other required stuff.

What is Mod APK?

Mod APKs have basically modified copies of the existing (original) applications. They are usually made to provide users with some extra and improved features that aren’t present in the original application.

APK is nothing but a file format whose backronym is “Android Operating System Package”. Its basic purpose is the distribution and installation of applications.

In general, professional developers make edits to the components inside an APK file. Basically, it’s done to enable the limited features (e.g., premium to free) and then recompile it. This app is now called a “mod APK.”

Understanding Mod APKs 

If you’re regularly using a smartphone, you’ll be well aware that many applications have subscription fees. From games and apps to movies or web series, all of them live a certain charge from the user before utilizing them. But in modded versions, all these are available for free when the developer makes changes in the components of the APK format and other codes. This was the foremost reason that APKs became renowned so fast.

However, people believe installing and downloading applications from sources other than the Google Play Store is harmful. The reason for this is that neither the sources nor those who provide them are well-known. Moreover, their concern increases while downloading a disclaimer is displayed.

Although there are benefits to APKs, there is a dark side too. For instance, these APKs, when used for unethical means, acquire personal data and infect the devices by pushing numerous annoying advertisements.

Infringement of Intellectual Property (IP)

Under the Intellectual Property (IP) regime, object code and source code are not discrete. IP methods for computer code can be used to protect both the source and object codes. IP makes a clear distinction between the written code and its intent or consequences.

Now you think the owner of the original application can’t claim the copyright?

The original application has copyright protection, but only for its written code, not for its functionality. This comes under different forms of intellectual property protection. It’s possible that even if the new code is protected, the owner of the original code will still need to provide permission for the code to be changed or rewritten in order to continue serving the same purpose.

Permission is asked because all these codes are secured by patent rights, which are owned by the real owners.

In a mobile app, software code by itself is not patentable unless it produces results that extend beyond the code itself. Just the information included in a patent and its equivalents(ideas and others) may be protected. A patent will have a maximum gratification of 20 years.

If you want to claim patentability, the components used to carry out the program should not be different from the existing code at the time of the invention.

Therefore while making mod APKs, the developers first verify whether that particular app is secured by Intellectual Property or not. The public domain is unprotected so one can easily make changes to build a mod.

It is against the law to make changed APKs available for download since this infringes on intellectual property rights. The owner of the copyright and the party desiring to make use of a work protected by intellectual property (IP) must come to an agreement. This is an exception to IP. 

How to Create Mod APK

Basically, first, you’ll get the APK of the app you want to recreate using your features. After this, you have to decompile it, i.e., unpack all the codes and scripts. After unpacking, make the necessary changes to the scripts and resources and recompile. Now, test and use your recreated app.

1. Get the APK you want to modify

The APK file may be obtained by simply downloading it from the internet or by using a file manager to copy it from your Android device’s applications directory. For extracting you should place it on SD.

Note: To implement the below steps to create an APK, you must be familiar with scripts and programming. It’s a detailed brief, so without prior knowledge, it’ll be hard to understand.

2. Decompiling the APK

Various tools may be used to decompile and extract Java-compiled scripts. Numerous methods are there, but a new method is becoming more effective. However, one of the methods listed below is one of them.

  • 2.1

The.apk file you intend to decode should be copied into a new folder. Now change the file’s extension from.apk to.zip and save it. For example, change filename.apk to filename.zip. You may now access the classes.dex files and other files. You can currently only view drawables since Java and XML files are not visible.

  • 2.2

In the same folder, extract this.zip file now. Dex2jar may be downloaded and extracted to the same place beforehand. The classes.dex file should be placed in the dex2jar subdirectory(folder).

Now launch the command prompt and switch to that folder in the directory. After that, enter the d2j-dex2jar classes.dex (or./d2j-dex2jar.sh classes.dex for Ubuntu or Mac terminal) and press Enter.

The classes.dex.dex2jar file is now located in the same folder.

To obtain class files, download the Java decompiler, double-click the JD-GUI icon, choose Open File, and select the classes.dex.dex2jar file within.

Save each of these class files using the src name (in JD-GUI, choose File-> Save All Sources). Continue since you now have access to the Java source but the.xml files are still illegible.

  • 2.3 

Open a new folder now. Insert the apk file you wish to decode.

Download the most recent versions of the APK tool and app tool install window (both are available from the same URL for download) into the same folder.

Launch the command window.

Run a command similar to the APK tool.

Note that myApp.apk implies the filename that you want to decode.

Now that a file folder has been added to that location, it is simple to read the app’s XML files.

  • 2.4 

Simply copying the contents of both folders (in this example, both new folders) into one is all that is necessary.

Resource modification (visual hacks/mods)

This entails going through your decompiled APK folder and changing some basic images and XML files.

3. Modify the Java Code

No matter what tools you employ, you will always obtain an inlined, compiled version that is distinct from the primary source code.

4. Recompile, test, and use

Now, use your preferred APK decompiler to recompile the APK, launch any emulator, and test the application to see if the changes you made are working or if changes need to be made.

Are modded APKs illegal to use?

Well, we are all aware that APKs unlock premium features, which is not in the owner’s interest as it is a way that brings him money. As a result, copyright rules exist, and violating them can land you in hot water.

Note that the majority of the rules apply to distributors rather than consumers. However, the website from which you obtain the modded APK is deserving of disapproval.

However, since the source is public, it is easier to find than the individuals. People can also be located since websites log data such as IP addresses etc.

Nothing to worry about no action is taken against users.

Numerous downloads are there, so it’s hard to trace everyone who downloaded that particular APK.

Note that all modded APKs are distributed in this manner. For instance, if a free app has been modified to include public demandable features and is not officially available, it is not an offense.

Sometimes freshers modify the APK to enhance their skills.

How to prevent your APK from being modified.

Some ways to keep yourself safe include:

1. Design the code accordingly

Mobile malware’s only method of propagation is by taking advantage of all the flaws in application programming. 

Cybercriminals obtain a copy of the target application that is available to the public and start working on it before it is noticed or changed by the real owner.

In an effort to deceive naive users into installing them and then exposing all of their personal information, cybercriminals make copies of well-known programs with harmful code and release them through third-party app stores.

As a result, developers should be aware of the techniques used by mod developers and design their applications or software accordingly. This technique includes phishing, malware, etc.

2. Keep your data private using encryption

You may use encryption to protect your data. All you need to do is to employ as much encryption while storing user data in a local database. Algorithm-based keys can be used to transform plaintext into ciphertext, which cannot be deciphered.

3. Apply for a takedown Notice by DMCA

Another strategy to prevent the original software from being updated is to use the takedown notifications provided by the DMCA. The DMCA was approved by the US Congress as copyright legislation, enabling content owners to rapidly and successfully have their stolen work removed from digital media. This may be discovered in places like search engines, online hosting services, and Internet service providers.

4. Installing Anti-Piracy Software

You lose money on the modified APK if users stop making in-app purchases as a result of the altered APK. Even if you can’t stop someone from decompiling and reverse engineering your APK, anti-piracy tools like Red Points can help you regain a part of the money you’ve lost.

5. Can modded APKs infect Android mobiles?

Numerous accounts of people installing malicious apps on Android have been reported in forums and social media groups. Because modified APKs violate Google’s terms and conditions, they are not available in the Play Store; instead, you must obtain them from authorized sources.

This is where the issue occurs since it might be difficult to locate a reliable source where you can obtain a modified APK free of viruses. Since installing an app from an unreliable source might be really dangerous.

Therefore, modded APKs can definitely infect Android phones when not downloaded from a trusted source or developer.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Apks

Benefits

  1. No charge is levied: Freely downloadable from websites where we may obtain customized versions of applications. Any programs and games that are paid, here they’ll be free.
  2. Cool customizations: No doubt, premium versions give a good user experience and have a lot of cool and interesting content. But it’s not accessible without the bucks. However, modded APKs offer these cool customizations along with demandable features added.
  3. Limitless Resources: Basically, this is applicable to games where mod APKs provide unlimited resources, like diamonds in Free Fire, UC in BGMI, coins in Ludo King, and so on.

Drawbacks

  1. Unofficial: Developed by a third-party developer, no official announcement, nothing, just it’s simply available on the source they select.
  2. No Role of Play Store: Usually modded versions are old and have been removed from the Play Store, so they can’t be updated from there.
  3. Loss to the original developer: The premium features are more private, and they’re easily accessible through different mods. So unaware users will buy premium content, resulting in his loss.
  4. No Warranty: If the app crashes or is not working properly, nothing can be done. No official complaint. You’ll have to uninstall it.
  5. Prone to Viruses: This is dependent on the developer customizing the APK. If he thinks of users’ interests and enhances his skills, There is nothing to worry about. But if he is criminal-minded, anything can happen. It’s a fact that many times it has already occurred.
  6. Data Privacy: Using modded APKs has data theft risks, be it your bank details or other private stuff. Moreover, if you file a complaint, questions will be fired back. Moreover, mod APKs can destroy your device too with malicious software. So it’s advised to don’t install them without an antivirus.

Conclusion:)

To conclude, we at Oflox always want our audiences to be aware of all this. Therefore, we have come up with a complete article on this. However, many of our audiences use modded apps. When properly cared for, there is no risk.

Therefore, it is always advised to verify before installing any new software, applications, or games from any source. 

Moreover, modded APKs are made to look legitimate. Be assured before installing and look for the developer’s background or use APKs on reference from known ones. For any other queries, feel free to reach out to us or drop them below in the comment box.

Read also:)

So hope you liked this article on What is Mod APK (Application). And if you still have any questions or suggestions related to this, then you can tell us in the comment box below. Thank you so much for reading this article.