Code obfuscating a Kotlin-based App with Proguard

Abstract

The convenience of using Android-based smartphones has made Android immensely popular. Until now, Java dominated other Android App Development languages such as C# and Corona, while Kotlin seems to be the future of Android App Development. Though Kotlin provides additional perks to Android app developers, some loopholes still exist that provide a way for security threats to penetrate. One of the most common security threats is App Repackaging. It is a dangerous and malicious attack which exploits the open-source platform. App Repackaging can be minimized by Proguard, a multi-purpose code obfuscator. In this paper, we have implemented prevention against App Repackaging using Proguard with Kotlin-developed Android app. It aims to assist android app developers in securing their apps against App Repackaging attacks.