Root detection
Root detection is the set of checks an application uses to decide whether the Android device it is running on has been privilege-escalated.
Implementations look for the su binary on the path, known package names for management apps, writable system partitions, SELinux enforcement state, and failed Play Integrity attestation.
Root detection and emulator detection usually appear together in the same integrity routine, and they usually share a response: restrict functionality rather than refuse to launch. Financial and streaming applications are the most consistent adopters.
Related terms
- Emulator detection — Emulator detection is the set of runtime checks an application performs to determine whether it is running on virtualised hardware rather than a physical handset.
- Device fingerprinting — Device fingerprinting is the practice of combining hardware and software attributes into an identifier that distinguishes one device from another without an explicit account or cookie.