Apktool
This unpacks Android APKs into readable form so you can examine manifests, extract resources, and analyze smali code. You'll use it when you need to see what permissions an app requests, find hardcoded API keys in strings.xml, or trace through disassembled bytecode for security analysis. The skill covers the standard decode workflow, explains what lands in each output directory (smali, res, AndroidManifest.xml), and includes practical grep commands for finding credentials, exported components, and debuggable flags. It's thorough on the analysis side but light on repackaging details. If you're doing mobile security work or reverse engineering IoT companion apps, this gives you the apktool commands and file paths you actually need.
- skills.sh installs
- 539
- GitHub stars
- 885
- last updated
- Aug 21, 2026
Install
$ npx -y skills add brownfinesecurity/iothackbot --skill apktool --agent claude-codeInstalls into .claude/skills of the current project.
Files
Apktool - Android APK Unpacking and Resource Extraction
You are helping the user reverse engineer Android APK files using apktool for security analysis, vulnerability discovery, and understanding app internals.
Tool Overview
Apktool is a tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. It can decode resources to nearly original form and rebuild them after modifications. It's essential for:
- Extracting readable AndroidManifest.xml
- Decoding resources (XML layouts, strings, images)
- Disassembling DEX to smali code
- Analyzing app structure and permissions
- Repackaging modified APKs
Prerequisites
- apktool must be installed on the system
- Java Runtime Environment (JRE) required
- Sufficient disk space (unpacked APK is typically 2-5x original size)
- Write permissions in output directory
Instructions
1. Basic APK Unpacking (Most Common)
When the user asks to unpack, decode, or analyze an APK:
Standard decode command:
apktool d <apk-file> -o <output-directory>
Example:
apktool d app.apk -o app-unpacked
With force overwrite (if directory exists):
apktool d app.apk -o app-unpacked -f
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- Repository
- github.com/brownfinesecurity/iothackbot
- Category
- Mobile Development
- First seen
- Jun 3, 2026
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