happymodapp/android-permission-index

HappyMod Android App Safety & Permission Dataset

A structured reference dataset for documenting Android application permissions, APK safety indicators, app categories, and version-level trust signals. The dataset is intended to support research and analysis of Android applications distributed through third-party APK catalogs.

Purpose

This dataset provides a structured framework for analyzing Android applications and their permission requirements. It focuses on permission usage, APK integrity, version changes, and other signals that can help researchers assess application behavior and potential security risks.

The dataset can be used for:

• Android application permission analysis
• APK security research
• Version-to-version permission comparisons
• Third-party APK catalog research
• Application trust and integrity analysis
• Security-focused dataset development

Permission Risk Categories

Permission Group	Risk Level	Common Security Consideration
CAMERA	High	Camera access should correspond to an app's expected functionality
READ_CONTACTS	High	Contact access may expose personal address-book information
ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION	High	Precise location access can reveal sensitive location data
RECORD_AUDIO	High	Microphone access should be clearly justified by app functionality
READ_MEDIA_IMAGES	Medium	Access to photos and media may expose user files
READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE	Medium	Legacy storage access can allow broad file access
INTERNET	Low	Commonly required for online services and connected applications
VIBRATE	Minimal	Generally associated with notifications and user feedback

APK Trust Signals

When evaluating an Android APK, several technical signals can provide useful information about its integrity and behavior:

• Certificate consistency — Compare the APK signing certificate across different versions where possible.
• Permission changes — Newly introduced sensitive permissions should be reviewed against the application's functionality.
• Version consistency — Compare package name, version code, version name, and other metadata between releases.
• Declared behavior — Review permissions and components declared in the Android manifest.
• Runtime behavior — Where available, compare observed application behavior with its declared functionality.
• APK integrity — Hashes such as SHA-256 can be used to identify and compare specific APK files.

Application Categories

The dataset can organize Android applications into categories such as:

• Games
• Entertainment
• Video & Streaming
• Productivity
• Tools
• Social
• Education
• Photography
• Music
• Utilities

HappyMod APK Research

HappyMod.com.ro focuses on information related to Android applications and APK downloads. This dataset provides a research-oriented framework for examining permission requirements and application trust indicators rather than treating a permission alone as proof that an application is unsafe.

For practical information about HappyMod and APK safety considerations, see the HappyMod Safety Guide.

Dataset Format

CSV — recommended columns:

app_name, package_name, app_category, permission_name, risk_level, permission_reason, version, certificate_sha256, detection_method

Example record structure:

app_name	package_name	app_category	permission_name	risk_level	detection_method
Example App	com.example.app	Entertainment	INTERNET	Low	Manifest analysis
Example App	com.example.app	Entertainment	CAMERA	High	Manifest analysis
Example App	com.example.app	Entertainment	RECORD_AUDIO	High	Manifest analysis

Methodology

Risk classifications in this dataset are intended as analytical indicators rather than definitive security verdicts. Permission risk should be interpreted in the context of an application's purpose, implementation, user disclosure, and observed behavior.

Potential analysis methods include:

1. Android manifest inspection
2. Permission comparison between APK versions
3. APK metadata analysis
4. Certificate fingerprint comparison
5. Static code analysis
6. Runtime behavior monitoring
7. File hash comparison

Limitations

A declared Android permission does not automatically indicate malicious behavior. Many legitimate applications require sensitive permissions to provide their core features.

Similarly, the absence of a sensitive permission does not guarantee that an application is completely safe. Security assessment should consider multiple technical indicators and, where possible, actual application behavior.

Reference

For additional information about HappyMod and Android APK safety, visit the HappyMod.com.ro website.

Citation

@dataset{happymod_android_safety_2026,
  author = {HappyMod.com.ro Research Team},
  title = {HappyMod Android App Safety \& Permission Dataset},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Hugging Face}
}