How can system app located in /system/app have system permission in Android 4.4 KitKat build?

Question

I'm Jaemoon.

My system app located in /system/app was running well until Android 4.3 Jelly Bean but it started having some problems which was security problem in Android 4.4 KitKat.

In other words, My system app needed permissions such as android.permission.WRITE_APN_SETTINGS and android.permission.CONNECTIVITY_INTERNAL and did well until Jelly Bean but from KitKat, there were security problems as follows. I don't understand the reason why my system app doing well in Jelly Bean started to have security problems from KitKat.

I am doubting that KitKat needs new setting in some script files for system permission. Could anyone help me or guide me ?

---------------------------------------------------------------------
java.lang.SecurityException: No permission to write APN settings: Neither user 10146 nor current process has android.permission.WRITE_APN_SETTINGS.
...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
java.lang.SecurityException: ConnectivityService: Neither user 10097 nor current process has android.permission.CONNECTIVITY_INTERNAL.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks in advance..

Answer 1

In Android 4.4 just apps located at /system/priv-app have the "system" level permission.

Google did this so that manufacturers like Samsung can have better control of the permissions the bundled apps have.

So administrative apps goes to /system/priv-app. Games, freemium apps and other garbages goes to /system/app

Thanks!

Answer 2

In 4.4, use /system/priv-app instead.

Answer 3

It will go to priv-app folder now. Before kitkat, all apps in system partition had "system"-level permissions. Now only apps in priv-app can get system permissions.