Rooting an Android phone lets you customize the behavior of your device, access protected files and folders, and generally muck around with the operating system. But it also makes your phone more vulnerable to malware, because if you can alter system files, then so can third-party software. So it’s not surprising that some Android apps won’t work on a rooted device, including many banking apps, Android Pay, and a number of streaming video apps (which probably has to do more with fending off piracy than protecting your personal data).

But if you want to get around those restrictions, there are a few apps that can hide the root status of your device from Google’s SafetyNet… for now. One is Magisk, a tool that also provides a bunch of other features. And now here’s another option for folks looking for a simpler solution. It’s called suhide lite, and it’s developed by Chainfire, the developer of the SuperSU utility for rooted devices.

If you’re already using Magisk, there’s probably not much reason to switch. But if you’ve rooted an Android 6.0 or later device with SuperSU 2.82 SR2 or later, Chainfire says suhide lite should do the trick.

This is actually an update to an older app called suhide, which no longer works. And Chainfire notes that at some point,, suhide lite could stop working as well — because right now developers are playing a game of cat and mouse with Google. Developers find a way to trick Google’s SafetyNet so that it doesn’t notice that a device is rooted, and Google updates SafetyNet so that it does notice. Rinse and repeat.

Eventually though, it’s possible that Google could change the way SafetyNet works to make it significantly more difficult for developers to hide root status.

While Chainfire’s pessimistic of the future of utilities that hide root, and also describes hiding root as a “bad idea,” he knows that it’s something people want to be able to do, so he released an updated version of the tool, giving users an alternative to Magisk.

You know, until they both stop working.

Note that in addition to a rooted device with SuperSU, you’ll need TWRP 3.0.2 recovery installed on your device in order to flash suhide lite.

via Android Police and +Chainfire

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7 replies on “SuperSU developer releases suhide lite, an app that hides root status on Android phones (for now)”

  1. Titanium backup is one of the best backup utilities I’ve ever used on any platform. Google’s own backup works when it feels like it and doesn’t even try to do things like let you roll back to a prior software version if the modern one breaks or takes away features you want/need. KCAL color control functionality should be present on every Android device. I need root less and less, but Google’s unwillingness to do these two things force me to continue to rebel.

    Google should spend less time trying to catch unmask stealth rooters and more time making rooting unnecessary. It would serve their ends better.

  2. Hiding root wouldn’t be required if Google didn’t popularize Apple’s invention of the idea that the OS vendor absolutely owns every device. The owner of the device actually owning it should not be remarkable, app vendors should not be allowed to presume the user has no control of the device.

    As for cat and mouse, perhaps it is time we simply replace Google’s “SafetyNet” component with one that IS the “hide root” tool. And if Google doesn’t like it, rubbish the whole Google app stack. Not much point in the Play Store since 95% of it is shareware, nagware, trialware, ad infested, overpriced commercial crap or outright malware. The 5% that isn’t is just teasing until the installed base is large enough to monetize.

    1. Fighting words, but they don’t deal with the reality that the vast majority of users (and I really mean the vast majority) will readily give up some control over their device in exchange for security from hacks and other malware infections. Millions of people already give up far more when they buy carrier subsidized devices, so they can get them at a discount.

      You’re also not dealing with the reality that we’re in a never-ending war with the hackers, who pounce on every small vulnerability that comes to light. If a phone’s defenses are tightly coupled to the operating system would ensure.

      And indeed, we all benefit from those imposed lock-downs. If malware protection was optional, millions of oblivious phone users would rapidly become breeding grounds for malware attacks, and even if you were smart enough to take the necessary precautions, not all your friends and relatives would be, and any personal data you shared with them would be compromised.

      We’ve already seem what can happen when devices are not secured by the manufacturers — i.e. the massive Internet of Things attack.

      In the end, as soon as the first major ransomware attack occurs, all that would happen is that people would cry out for the very protections that you decry, and we’d be back to square one.

      As for the rest — well, you have the right to vent, and I hope you feel better for it, but even you know Google’s not going make the changes you demand, and all but a handful like you won’t care, and certainly won’t care enough to revolt against the status quo.

      1. Then may their chains rest lightly upon them, for they choose poorly when they traded liberty for security. It never works, the old quote is spot on in that you end up with neither. That is the punch line.

        A phone where the owner has root is safer (unless you are an idiot), because a user has to have some clue to even have it and an owner with clue is the best defense against doing stupid things like installing dodgy apps. The root apps have required human intervention for a very long time so it does not lower security against malware.

    2. it is super annoying that they think they have the right to produce whatever product they want. Whatever it is they think serves both their market of mostly tech illiterate users and also keeps them on the right side of not-accountable-under-law-for-either-criminal-offense-or-actionable-negligence. Not to mention trying to save a fortune in customer service dealing with people who have completely jacked up their own device with poor choices and then expect Google to sort it out for them or replace it.
      By all means though, there are other OS project to put on your phone. Or write your own.
      Personally I love computers. Lots of fun. But I don’t want to spend my time worrying over the security of every one of a growing number of devices. I’m old. I’m lazy.
      I frankly hope Google slaps this down as the concept of something which hides that the device has been rooted seems like a prime candidate for being used for evil against me. And trying to keep a check on that kind of crap is exactly what I put my faith in Google for. Or for that matter Apple.
      If people want to root and run this or that and grab apps here, there, and everywhere – great. Go at it. Have fun. But no thank you. I don’t want that flexibility built into the system I’m using. I want it locked down. And I’m quite satisfied to have it locked down from me as well if that furthers the aim of it being locked down to everyone else.

      1. If Google keep the phone locked down, it’s to make sure you see ads.
        They don’t really care about anything else.

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