Method 1: apk-mitm

apk-mitm is a CLI application that prepares Android APK files for HTTPS inspection that automates the entire process. In the How it Works section you will find more details, but as a summary all you have to do is give it an APK file and apk-mitm will:

• decode the APK file using Apktool

• modify the app's AndroidManifest.xml to make it debuggable

• modify the app's Network Security Configuration to allow user-added certificates (see more details)

• insert return-void opcodes to disable certificate pinning logic

• encode the patched APK file using Apktool

• sign the patched APK file using uber-apk-signer

You can also use apk-mitm to patch apps using Android App Bundle and rooting your phone is not required.

Requirements

1. Node JS

2. apk-mitm

3. Apktool

apk-mitm automates the entire process. All you have to do is give it an APK file and apk-mitm will:

• decode the APK file using Apktool

• modify the app's AndroidManifest.xml to make it debuggable

• modify the app's Network Security Configuration to allow user-added certificates

• insert return-void opcodes to disable certificate pinning logic

• encode the patched APK file using Apktool

• sign the patched APK file using uber-apk-signer

Install Node JS

Mac OS

brew install nodejs

Linux

Install/update apk-mitm

Install

npm install -g apk-mitm

Update

Patch APK

apk-mitm example.apk

If the app uses Google Maps and the map is broken after patching, then the app's API key is probably restricted to the developer's certificate. You'll have to create your own API key without restrictions and replace it in the app's AndroidManifest.xml file.

If apk-mitm crashes while decoding or encoding the issue is probably related to Apktool. Check their issues on GitHub to find possible workarounds. If you happen to find an Apktool version that's not affected by the issue, you can instruct apk-mitm to use it by specifying the path of its JAR file through the --apktool option.

You can now install the example-patched.apk file on your Android device and use a proxy like Charles, mitmproxy, Burp Suite, etc, to look at the app's traffic.

Install APK (from adb)

Bash

adb <-s DEVICE_ID> install example-patched.apk

How it Works

Decode the APK file

Using Apktool

Modify the app's AndroidManifest.xml

To make it debuggable

Modify the app's Network Security Configuration

To allow user-added certificates. The Network Security Configuration feature lets apps customize their network security settings in a safe, declarative configuration file without modifying app code. These settings can be configured for specific domains and for a specific app. So you can customize which Certificate Authorities (CA) are trusted for an app's secure connections. For example, trusting particular self-signed certificates or restricting the set of public CAs that the app trusts.

Once your target APK is properly disassembled, look for AndroidManifest.xml at the root folder and add the following attribute to the application element:

<manifest ... >
    <application android:networkSecurityConfig="@xml/network_security_config" ... >
        ...
    </application>
</manifest>

That attribute points to the file res/xml/network_security_config.xml inside your project. If it doesn't, create it now and change its contents to be like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<network-security-config>  
      <base-config>  
            <trust-anchors>  
                <!-- Trust preinstalled CAs -->  
                <certificates src="system" />  
                <!-- Additionally trust user added CAs -->  
                <certificates src="user" />  
           </trust-anchors>  
      </base-config>  
 </network-security-config>

This rule tells the Android system to accept any system or user certificates, overriding default behavior. See this page for other overriding options.

insert return-void opcodes

To disable certificate pinning logic

Encode the patched APK file

Using Apktool

Sign the patched APK file

Using uber-apk-signer