During a penetration test you need to modify the logic of an Android banking APK to bypass its root-detection routine, then reassemble and sign the application for installation on a test device. Which tool offers a single command-line workflow to decode the APK into smali, allow edits, and rebuild the package?
Apktool is purpose-built for reverse-engineering Android applications. Its "apktool d" operation extracts resources and converts Dalvik bytecode to smali files, which testers can modify. The complementary "apktool b" command recompiles those resources into a functioning APK that can be re-signed for deployment, providing an end-to-end workflow. dex2jar with JD-GUI only converts DEX to Java for review and cannot rebuild the package. ADB sideload merely installs an already signed image, and Burp Suite Mobile Assistant is designed for traffic interception rather than binary disassembly or repackaging.
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What is smali?
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How does Apktool re-sign an APK after modification?
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Why can't dex2jar and JD-GUI rebuild an APK?
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What is Apktool, and why is it used for penetration testing of Android applications?
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What are smali files, and how do they relate to the Apktool workflow?
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Why are other tools like dex2jar, JD-GUI, and ADB sideload not suitable for this task?
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