anbox-install/README.md

Anbox install files

This repository contains recommended Anbox configuration to run the program as securely as possible.

Many users misconfigure Anbox to run in privileged mode which permits real root access for Android system processes to a Linux system. Configuration in this repository contains proper settings to run Anbox in unprivileged mode, thus better protecting your Linux system from possibly malicious Android processes.

PKGBUILD file is Arch Linux specific file. Otherwise, you can use rest of the files on any Linux distribution.

Anbox files

Many files have originally been provided by anbox-git AUR package. However, small changes have been made.

Changes and additions

anbox-bridge.network (systemd-networkd file)

• Added [Network] entry ConfigureWithoutCarrier=yes

• Added IPv4 broadcast address 192.168.250.255 into [Address] section

• Removed IPMasquerade=yes entry from [Address] section. Depending on your network topology, you may want to keep this option. I don't need or use it.

anbox-container-manager.service (Systemd service file)

• Changed [Service] entry ExecStart=... from

ExecStart=/usr/bin/anbox container-manager --daemon --privileged --data-path=/var/lib/anbox

to

ExecStart=/usr/bin/anbox container-manager --daemon --data-path=/var/lib/anbox

• Multiple security-related additions

• Added [Unit] entries

Wants=lxc.service
After=lxc.service

anbox-session-manager.service (Systemd service file)

• Added [Service] entry Environment=ANBOX_FORCE_SERVER_SIDE_DECORATION=true

subuid & subgid

LXC container user and group mapping files /etc/subuid and /etc/subgid for Android OS container.

anbox-session-manager (shell script)

Simple wrapper script to be added into desktop startup program configuration. This is a simple work around script. If anbox-session-manager Systemd service is launched before X11 session, launching the X11 session fails for unknown reasons. This script ensures that X11 session is launched before anbox-session-manager Systemd service.

Place into /usr/local/bin/ folder.

Patch files

• patch_audio01_timing.patch & patch_audio02_pass-messenger.patch

  • Details: GitHub: Anbox PR #1034 - Implement audio timing

• patch_bytesize-to-bytesizelong.patch

  • Details: GitHub: Anbox PR #1480 - rpc: use ByteSizeLong from protobuf

• patch_cm-helpmenu-unhidden.patch

  • Details: personal patch to unhide container-manager options in Anbox executable help menu

• patch_cm-privileged-warn.patch

  • Details: personal patch to add not recommended note into --privileged parameter description

• patch_python3.patch

  • Details: GitHub: Anbox issue - Python 2 is EOL: comment by karuboniru

• patch_remove-unknown-opt.patch

  • Details: personal patch to remove unknown compilation time G++ option

Android OS files

Contains Android OS image file with additional patches. Base Android version is 7.1.1_r13. The compiled image source code is purely based on Android Open Source Project codebase.

On Arch Linux, you can use anbox-image AUR package as reference to install this custom Android image. Or just simply copy the image into /var/lib/anbox/, overriding the original Android OS image file android.img.

Additional features:

• Server-side decoration support

• Audio timing fix for stream videos

• Default Gallery app no longer pauses video playback when changing focus to another Android application

• Avoid unnecessary Linux kernel warnings by removing unused Android-native features

Patch files

Compiled Android OS image file android.img with the following patches applied:

• patch_audio01_timing.patch & patch_audio02_pass-messenger.patch

  • Details: as above

• patch_gallery2_no-activity-checks.patch

  • Details: remove video & audio pause functionality from default Android OS system application com.android.gallery3d as the pause functionality does not fit into Linux desktop environment when running multiple Android applications simultaneosly.

• patch_initcgroups.patch

  • Remove unnecessary cgroups and related mount points from containerized Android OS system. Remove cpusets.

    • Both options generate unnecessary Linux main system kernel dmesg output and both options fail.