Open-Source Security · Cyber-Buddy

APKHunt

APKHunt is a static code analysis tool for Android APK files built on the OWASP MASVS security framework. It scans for common security vulnerabilities in mobile apps and outputs findings in text format, with support for batch scanning multiple APKs.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/Cyber-Buddy/APKHunt

967

GitHub stars

102

Forks

Primary language

GPL-3.0

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	Cyber-Buddy/APKHunt
Owner	Cyber-Buddy
Primary language	Go
License	GPL-3.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	967
Forks	102
Open issues	10
Latest release	Unknown
Last updated	2025-01-17
Source	https://github.com/Cyber-Buddy/APKHunt

What APKHunt is

Written in Go, APKHunt performs SAST (Static Application Security Testing) against OWASP MASVS v1.5.0 coverage areas (architecture, data storage, cryptography, authentication, network, environment, code quality, resiliency). Requires JADX decompilation and dex2jar tooling; Linux-only deployment.

Quickstart

Get the APKHunt source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/Cyber-Buddy/APKHunt.git2cd APKHunt3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Pre-release security screening for Android developers

Developers can integrate APKHunt into CI/CD pipelines to catch MASVS-framework security issues before app release, reducing downstream vulnerability discovery.

Security audit baseline for mobile app assessments

Security testers and penetration testers can use APKHunt as a rapid SAST baseline to identify low-hanging fruit and focus manual testing on complex logic or business logic flaws.

Batch compliance scanning across app portfolios

Organizations managing multiple internal or third-party Android apps can scan entire folders to identify patterns of insecure practices (hard-coded secrets, weak crypto) at scale.

Implementation considerations

Linux environment is mandatory; plan deployment via container or VM if team uses Windows/macOS development workstations.
Requires pre-installation of Go, JADX, and dex2jar; verify compatibility of these tooling versions with target Android SDK versions.
Output is plain text (.txt); integrate custom log parsers or scripts if you need structured JSON/XML or SARIF reporting for CI/CD tooling.
Test on a representative APK first to validate false-positive rate and rule coverage against your threat model before deploying at scale.
No configuration or rule customization visible in documentation; verify that default rule set aligns with your organization's security baselines.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

You need Windows or macOS native support — APKHunt is explicitly Linux-only. Windows/macOS users must use Docker, WSL, or virtual machines, adding operational overhead.
You require formal SLA or vendor support — This is a community open-source project with no official support contract, service guarantees, or dedicated maintenance team. Issues may remain unresolved.
You need dynamic analysis or runtime instrumentation — APKHunt performs only static code analysis. It cannot detect runtime behavior, logic flaws in actual execution paths, or data flow at runtime.
You depend on actively maintained, up-to-date MASVS coverage — Tool is locked to OWASP MASVS v1.5.0 (Jan 2023); no releases published, and coverage updates to newer MASVS versions are unconfirmed.

License & commercial use

Licensed under GPL-3.0 (GNU General Public License v3.0). GPL-3.0 is a strong copyleft license requiring any derivative or modified version to also be GPL-3.0 licensed and source-available.

GPL-3.0 allows internal use, including commercial contexts. However, if you modify APKHunt and distribute the modified version (even internally as a service or product), you must make source code publicly available under GPL-3.0. Requires legal review if you intend to bundle, fork, or resell as part of a commercial offering.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Adequate
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Moderate
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

APKHunt is a scanning tool, not a runtime security layer. It identifies code patterns and potential anti-patterns, but cannot guarantee absence of vulnerabilities. Results should be treated as suggestions for further manual review. No security audit or penetration test of APKHunt itself is documented. Users should verify tool is run in a sandboxed environment given it decompiles and analyzes untrusted APK binaries.

Alternatives to consider

MobSF (Mobile Security Framework)

Industry-standard open-source Android/iOS security analyzer with broader coverage, web UI, detailed reporting, and active maintenance. More mature and widely adopted than APKHunt.

Frida + custom SAST rules

Offers dynamic instrumentation and runtime analysis capabilities that APKHunt lacks; better for catching logic flaws and runtime behavior anomalies, though requires more setup.

Commercial SAST tools (Checkmarx, Veracode, Snyk)

Provide enterprise support, certified rules, compliance reporting, CI/CD integration, and SLA guarantees; suitable for regulated industries or large portfolios where manual security review is not viable.

Software development agency

Build on APKHunt with DEV.co software developers

APKHunt is a free, GPL-3.0 licensed tool best suited for development teams and security testers who scan Android APKs internally. Verify Linux compatibility, dependency availability, and coverage alignment with your threat model before adoption. For enterprise scale, compliance, or cross-platform needs, consider commercial alternatives.

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APKHunt FAQ

Does APKHunt detect all OWASP MASVS vulnerabilities?

No. APKHunt covers most SAST-related test cases within OWASP MASVS but not all. Manual review and dynamic testing are still required for runtime behavior, business logic, and configuration issues.

Can I use APKHunt on Windows or macOS?

No, APKHunt is Linux-only. You must use Docker, WSL2, or a Linux VM if your primary OS is Windows or macOS.

What if I find a bug or want to contribute?

The README invites community contributions via GitHub. However, any contribution or fork must remain under GPL-3.0, and there is no formal contribution review SLA.

Is APKHunt suitable for compliance audits (HIPAA, PCI-DSS)?

APKHunt can support compliance scanning, but as open-source without vendor support or audit trail, you should combine it with a commercial tool for formal compliance reporting.

Custom software development services

Need help beyond evaluating APKHunt? DEV.co is a software development agency offering software development services and web development for teams of every size. Our software developers and web developers build custom software, web applications, APIs, and open-source security integrations — and maintain them long-term.

Evaluate APKHunt for Your Android Security Workflow

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