XposedOrNot API: A Practical Guide for Developers and Security Analysts

The XposedOrNot API is a specialized service designed to help developers, QA teams, and security researchers understand how an Android app behaves in environments where hooking frameworks or modification tools might be present. By analyzing app signals, device conditions, and behavioral patterns, the XposedOrNot API can indicate whether an app is likely running under an Xposed-like modification layer, detect known modules, and provide a structured risk assessment. This article explains what the XposedOrNot API does, how to use it effectively, and best practices to integrate it into your development and security workflows.

What the XposedOrNot API does

At its core, the XposedOrNot API offers programmatic access to analysis results that help teams gauge the integrity and security posture of Android applications. The API is built to deliver actionable data without requiring extensive on-device instrumentation, which makes it suitable for continuous integration pipelines, security testing, and post-release monitoring. When you submit an app sample or a set of device signals, the API returns structured insights such as whether an Xposed-like environment was detected, which modules, if any, were identified, and a risk score that reflects the likelihood of tampering or environmental manipulation.

Key features of the XposedOrNot API

• : A clear flag indicating whether an Xposed-like environment was detected in the submitted context.
• Module analysis: A list of known modules or hooks that are present, with confidence scores and source references.
• Environment signals: Device hints, such as ROM characteristics, rooted status, or SELinux mode, that may correlate with modification tools.
• Risk scoring: A composite score that helps prioritize remediation or further investigation.
• Historical comparisons: The ability to compare current results against previous submissions for trend analysis.
• Deterministic and reproducible outputs: Consistent results for identical inputs, supporting audit and compliance needs.

How the API works

The XposedOrNot API relies on a combination of static signals, behavioral observations, and telemetry from supported environments. When you submit data, the service runs a probabilistic evaluation that considers several factors: the presence of known Xposed artifacts, user-space hooks, unusual system properties, and timing anomalies. While the API cannot guarantee 100% accuracy in every scenario, it provides a robust, documented framework for assessing the likelihood of modification tools and their impact on app behavior. This makes the XposedOrNot API particularly useful for developers seeking to vet their apps against common tampering scenarios and for security teams performing periodic health checks.

Getting started with the XposedOrNot API

Authentication and setup

To begin using the XposedOrNot API, you’ll need an API key issued by your organization or the service provider. Authentication is typically performed with a Bearer token included in the Authorization header of your HTTP requests. You should also review rate limits and terms of service to align usage with your project timelines. Once authenticated, you can start with a simple submission to analyze an app or environment snapshot.

Initial integration steps

1. Obtain an API key and review the API documentation for endpoint details.
2. Prepare the data you want to submit. This can include a URL to the APK, a hash of the file, or device signals collected during testing.
3. Make a POST request to the analyze endpoint and wait for the structured response.
4. Parse the results in your CI pipeline or security dashboard and take appropriate action based on the risk score and detected modules.

Example API request

POST /v1/analyze-app HTTP/1.1
Host: api.xposedornot.example
Authorization: Bearer 
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "app_url": "https://example.com/downloads/app.apk",
  "checksum": "abc123def456...",
  "device_info": {
    "os_version": "Android 13",
    "manufacturer": "Google",
    "model": "Pixel 6",
    "rooted": false
  },
  "environment_signals": {
    "hook_signatures": true,
    "subsystem_leaks": false,
    "timing_anomalies": false
  }
}

Interpreting the response

The API response provides a structured JSON payload that typically includes fields such as detected, modules, risk_score, and confidence. Interpreting these results involves a balanced view of both the binary flags and the quantitative scores. A high risk_score paired with multiple detected modules may prompt immediate follow-up, while a low risk_score with no modules detected could indicate a clean environment or a scenario where the analysis did not trigger known signals.

Endpoints you’ll commonly use

• POST /v1/analyze-app: Submit an app or environment snapshot for analysis. Returns detection status, identified modules, signals, and risk score.
• GET /v1/analysis/{id}: Retrieve the results for a previously submitted analysis by its unique identifier.
• POST /v1/compare: Compare two or more analysis results to identify changes in environment signals or module presence over time.
• GET /v1/status: Check the service status, latency, and current load to plan integration in CI pipelines.

Best practices for integrating the XposedOrNot API

• : Before integrating the API, determine what risk levels are acceptable for your product and how the results will trigger remediation or escalation.
• : Use the XposedOrNot API alongside app integrity checks, code signing verification, and runtime telemetry to create a holistic security posture.
• : Integrate API results into your build and deployment pipelines. Fail the build or flag a security gate if the risk_score exceeds your threshold.
• : Collect only the signals you need, secure data in transit and at rest, and adhere to applicable data protection regulations.
• : No detection system is perfect. Build workflows that allow developers to review borderline results and exclude known benign environments.
• : If you depend on real-time analysis, implement retry logic and caching for repeated submissions to optimize performance.

Use cases for the XposedOrNot API

1) App integrity and distribution security

Publishers can leverage the XposedOrNot API to verify that apps distributed through their stores are not being altered by common modification frameworks. By integrating into release pipelines, teams can catch tampering indicators before deployment and reduce the risk of compromised versions reaching end users.

2) QA and compatibility testing

During QA cycles, testers can submit APKs across a range of devices to understand how Xposed-like environments affect app behavior. The XposedOrNot API helps identify compatibility gaps and ensures that critical features remain intact in standard and modified environments.

3) Security research and threat modeling

Researchers can use the API to collect signals across various devices and ROMs, enabling trend analysis of tampering techniques and evaluation of defenses. The API’s structured outputs make it easier to synthesize findings into threat models and security advisories.

Challenges and considerations

While the XposedOrNot API offers valuable insights, there are practical considerations to keep in mind. Some environments may produce ambiguous signals, especially on devices with aggressive privacy protections or custom ROMs. It’s important to interpret results within the context of your product and to differentiate between environmental artifacts and genuine tampering. Additionally, you should maintain clear governance around who can access sensitive analysis results and how they are used in decision making.

Future directions and ongoing improvements

Developers of the XposedOrNot API typically pursue enhancements in several areas. These can include expanding supported data signals, refining the risk scoring algorithm with more nuanced weighting, and introducing new endpoints for automatic remediation recommendations. Community feedback often drives feature prioritization, so keeping a channel open for input helps ensure the API remains relevant to evolving Android security practices.

Security, privacy, and ethics

Access to analysis results should be governed by strict security controls. The XposedOrNot API can expose sensitive device characteristics and app behavior data, so encryption, access controls, and auditing are essential. Ethical considerations include obtaining proper authorization for testing, avoiding the collection of unnecessary personal data, and ensuring that results are used to strengthen defenses rather than facilitate misuse.

Conclusion

The XposedOrNot API provides a practical, scalable way to assess whether Android apps run in environments where modification tools like Xposed may be active. By delivering clear detection signals, module identifications, environment hints, and a risk score, the API helps developers and security teams make informed decisions throughout the software lifecycle. When integrated thoughtfully—paired with other security controls and tested across diverse devices—the XposedOrNot API becomes a valuable component in a modern Android security strategy. Whether you are protecting sensitive enterprise apps, validating app integrity for app stores, or conducting rigorous security research, the XposedOrNot API can streamline analysis and support proactive risk management.

As the threat landscape evolves, the XposedOrNot API is likely to grow with expanded data sources and smarter analytics. The goal remains straightforward: empower teams to understand environmental factors that impact app behavior and to act decisively to protect users and data. If you’re starting a project that involves app integrity, security testing, or tamper detection, the XposedOrNot API offers a structured, developer-friendly pathway to actionable insights. By integrating it into your workflows, you can maintain a stronger security posture without sacrificing delivery speed or user experience.