Of course, that's what your app version is for.  ;)

On Oct 8, 12:01 pm, JonFHancock <[email protected]> wrote:
> I think we're finally  understanding each other, Dan.  I am using the
> public key as a secure way of identifying that the app is mine before
> I pass data back from the server.  The CRC323 isn't really used.  I do
> pass it as an extra piece of information that loosely identifies a
> specific build.
>
> The key identifies the app as validly signed by me.  The CRC32 just
> loosely says that this build is different from that build.  I do not
> depend on it for anything important.
>
> On Oct 8, 6:00 am, DanH <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I may have misinterpreted.  Presumably there's a checksum of the APK
> > data in the signed certificate.  I would assume (hope) that's a
> > cryptographically strong checksum.  (If not, the entire Android
> > platform is in jeopardy.)
>
> > If one wants a sure "signature" (in a generic sense) that uniquely and
> > reliably identifies a SPECIFIC version of code, that cryptographic
> > checksum would be what you want (though I don't know how you'd access
> > that).  Otherwise, the public key (which Diane has finally explained
> > is what the package "signature" is) is a secure, reliable way to
> > identify the publisher (and, with the package name, the specific app
> > (though not it's version)).
>
> > There's no point in creating a separate CRC32 over the app, to use as
> > an identity to send back to a server or whatever.
>
> > On Oct 8, 6:21 am, Mark Murphy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > What CRC32 checksum?
>
> > > Trevor Johns, in a discussion of LVL, offered up CRC32 as a means of
> > > helping detect tampering, but that was simply an example. Otherwise, I
> > > am coming up with zero references to the use of CRC32 with respect to
> > > APKs.
>
> > > Do you have a pointer to somewhere in the open source code where they
> > > are using a CRC32 checksum in this fashion?
>
> > > Thanks!
>
> > > On Fri, Oct 8, 2010 at 7:12 AM, DanH <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > > What I mean is that if the bad actor can manipulate the apk bytes
> > > > while still maintaining the same checksum, then the whole scheme is
> > > > insecure -- there's no point in having it signed.  A CRC32 checksum is
> > > > easily spoofed -- the apk bytes need to be checksummed with a
> > > > cryptographic checksum of some sort.
>
> > > --
> > > Mark Murphy (a Commons 
> > > Guy)http://commonsware.com|http://github.com/commonsguyhttp://commonsware.com/blog|http://twitter.com/commonsguy
>
> > > Warescription: Three Android Books, Plus Updates, One Low Price!

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