Re: Android policy update

[Colin Holgate via use-livecode]

The policy does tell you that if an existing app is not allowed you have 30 
days to submit an update. So, a little slower that ASAP.


> On May 18, 2017, at 7:51 AM, Bob Sneidar via use-livecode 
>  wrote:
> 
> Dam! I was almost ready to deploy my new iOS app, Jerky 2.0! 
> 
> Bob S
> 
> 
>> On May 17, 2017, at 16:08 , Richard Gaskin via use-livecode 
>>  wrote:
>> 
>> Of course any app that violates any of the other policies outlined on that 
>> page will be dumped ASAP, regardless of how they handle updates. So folks, 
>> don't write jerk apps and let's keep things safe and user-friendly.
>> 
>> -- 
>> Richard Gaskin
> 


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Re: Android policy update

[Bob Sneidar via use-livecode]

Dam! I was almost ready to deploy my new iOS app, Jerky 2.0! 

Bob S


> On May 17, 2017, at 16:08 , Richard Gaskin via use-livecode 
>  wrote:
> 
> Of course any app that violates any of the other policies outlined on that 
> page will be dumped ASAP, regardless of how they handle updates. So folks, 
> don't write jerk apps and let's keep things safe and user-friendly.
> 
> -- 
> Richard Gaskin


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Re: Android policy update

[Mark Waddingham via use-livecode]

On 2017-05-18 15:00, Colin Holgate via use-livecode wrote:

The things that you’re talking about, involving an app updating
itself, does that currently get past Apple review? That would be an
argument to use with Google, in that Apple have usually been tougher
about this.

Also, does Google’s policy suggest that you can’t even update an image
in the app?


I think the web-page which Jacque linked to is much too vague - it
doesn't define any of the terms it uses, and contradicts itself as 
mentioned

in my previous post.

One thing to find out is what the actual text of the agreement you have
to click through to sign says - I'd imagine that's where the *actual* 
T

are.

As written, a conservative interpretation of that text would suggest no, 
you
cannot update an existing image in an app - as that is technically 
modifying yourself.


Similarly, it says that you can't 'modify, replace or update' other than 
via
the Google Play Store - isn't downloding content modifying the app 
technically

speaking?

Of course, I'm splitting hairs here slightly - the intent of the policy 
is

crystal clear here, they are trying to ensure that apps cannot leverage
vulnerabilities which were not known at the time the app was submitted 
to the

app store.

However, the text on that page is too ill-defined to be *any*
sort of binding agreement - so I hope there's a stricter version.

Warmest Regards,

Mark.

--
Mark Waddingham ~ m...@livecode.com ~ http://www.livecode.com/
LiveCode: Everyone can create apps

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Re: Android policy update

[Colin Holgate via use-livecode]

The things that you’re talking about, involving an app updating itself, does 
that currently get past Apple review? That would be an argument to use with 
Google, in that Apple have usually been tougher about this.

Also, does Google’s policy suggest that you can’t even update an image in the 
app?
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Re: Android policy update

[Colin Holgate via use-livecode]

I haven’t been following this topic, but I happen to be at Google I/O. If there 
are any short questions I could ask while I’m here I could ask around.

One thing I’m going to go to this morning involves Google Play policies.
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Re: Android policy update

[Mark Waddingham via use-livecode]

On 2017-05-18 00:25, J. Landman Gay via use-livecode wrote:

I just got a developer email about a revision to Google's policies for
apps on Google Play. Google will not allow apps that download
executable code, similar to Apple's policy. It sounds like that
includes stack content downloaded via a "launcher" app.

https://play.google.com/about/privacy-security/malicious-behavior/


I would agree with Richard's analysis - albeit with one caveat discussed 
later on.


Is it just me or is the wording of that page is atrocious? I hope there 
is a more detailed normative document in which these restrictions are 
placed (like the Apple SDK/Store Agreement). After all in the 
(presumably non-normative preamble) it says:


"An app distributed via Google Play may not modify, replace, or update 
itself using any method other than Google Play’s update mechanism. 
Likewise, an app may not download executable code (e.g. dex, JAR, .so 
files) from a source other than Google Play. This restriction does not 
apply to code that runs in a virtual machine and has limited access to 
Android APIs (such as JavaScript in a webview or browser)."


Then in what appears to be the normative section, it says:

"The following are explicitly prohibited:
  - Apps or SDKs that download executable code, such as dex files or 
native code, from a source other than Google Play."


This is somewhat contradictory without an explicit definition of what 
they mean by 'executable code'. However, reading between the lines I 
would infer that what they mean is this:


"It is explicitly prohibited to allow an app to download code from 
outside of Google Play which is able to call more Android APIs than the 
host app was originally able to do."


Anyway, reading between the lines, the reasoning behind this is simple - 
google can check all dex, JAR and .SO files which flow through Google 
Play for malicious code. They cannot check any code which is downloaded 
outside of Google Play - so if code is downloaded outside of Google Play 
then it must not create any more 'routes in' to the OS in order to 
trigger vulnerabilities and the only 'routes in' to the OS are Android 
API calls, whether they be Java or C.


Anyway, I think you are fine as right now the range of APIs which the 
Android engine uses is fixed at the point of building an Android 
standalone and we are definitely a VM (LiveCode Script runs using an 
Abstract Syntax Tree, LiveCode Builder a ByteCode Machine) - thus we can 
be considered 'JavaScript in a WebView'-like.


Okay so the caveat. I really want the above paragraph to be true, 
however it actually isn't if one casts a critical eye over the whole 
system...


We potentially have an issue with LiveCode Builder... Well, not LiveCode 
Builder, but its FFI capabilities.


It's very presence and the way it works means that in actual fact, we 
cannot say that 'code that runs in a virtual machine has limited access 
to Android APIs' - even the existing C FFI mechanism allows you to hook 
up to arbitrary C APIs; the upcoming Java FFI mechanism makes this even 
easier (as connecting to Java APIs is a fair bit easily than C - from 
the point of view of the developer, at least).


Indeed, LCB modules are loadable at runtime, so you could download an 
LCB module which hooks into APIs the existing app does not; and then 
call them. Further than that, it is possible to write an LCB module 
which allows arbitrary machine code to be executed directly.


This will require some thought - I'd rather LiveCode didn't get 
blacklisted from being considered a 'JavaScript running in a 
WebView'-like language.


Warmest Regards,

Mark.

--
Mark Waddingham ~ m...@livecode.com ~ http://www.livecode.com/
LiveCode: Everyone can create apps

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Re: Android policy update

[Richard Gaskin via use-livecode]

J. Landman Gay wrote:

I just got a developer email about a revision to Google's policies for 
apps on Google Play. Google will not allow apps that download executable 
code, similar to Apple's policy. It sounds like that includes stack 
content downloaded via a "launcher" app.


https://play.google.com/about/privacy-security/malicious-behavior/


Good to know - thanks.

There *might* be some wiggle room here:

  This restriction does not apply to code that runs in a virtual
  machine and has limited access to Android APIs (such as JavaScript
  in a webview or browser).

Whether or not Google would agree that LC is a sort of "VM" is anyone's 
guess, but LC Script is limited to LC's APIs and scripts can't extend an 
app's permissions beyond what the user has already allowed for the app.


I wouldn't bet the farm on their interpretation, but I know some 
developers using a wide range of scripting languages that have been 
deploying with data+script download updates for years, even on iOS.  I'm 
not recommending it, just noting that apparently within the confines of 
the LC VM such things are either not obviously noticeable or not a 
concern for the reviewer.


Of course any app that violates any of the other policies outlined on 
that page will be dumped ASAP, regardless of how they handle updates. 
So folks, don't write jerk apps and let's keep things safe and 
user-friendly.


--
 Richard Gaskin
 Fourth World Systems
 Software Design and Development for the Desktop, Mobile, and the Web
 
 ambassa...@fourthworld.comhttp://www.FourthWorld.com

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Android policy update

[J. Landman Gay via use-livecode]

I just got a developer email about a revision to Google's policies for 
apps on Google Play. Google will not allow apps that download executable 
code, similar to Apple's policy. It sounds like that includes stack 
content downloaded via a "launcher" app.


https://play.google.com/about/privacy-security/malicious-behavior/

--
Jacqueline Landman Gay | jac...@hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software   | http://www.hyperactivesw.com

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