Run Android application as Shell User

Question

In my application, I need to start a native binary that opens and read from some /sys/kernel files. If I launch the native binary by connecting using adb shell

Answer 1

The shell UID is reserved for development and testing. Running an app with shell privileges is circumventing Google's security model. So you will not be able do it on a secured commercial device without rooting it.

A possible temporary (non-persistent between reboots) workaround would be:

1. Use adb shell to start a background service process, running as shell UID

2. In your application, using IPC to ask the service to perform special task for you