CyanogenMod to include new open source super user tool

ClockworkMod Superuser is in the process of being integrated into CyanogenMod
Source: Koushik Dutta

ClockworkMod Recovery and ROM Manager developer Koushik Dutta has released a beta version of a new super user application for Android. According to Dutta, the ClockworkMod Superuser tool will be integrated into the settings application of the next major CyanogenMod release. The tool is open source, supports Jelly Bean's multi-user functionality, and uses Android's built-in permission model to give selected applications super user permissions when they are required.

There are already a number of super user applications available for rooted Android devices, but in most cases, users had to install these tools manually after rooting their device's firmware. ClockworkMod Superuser can be installed from Dutta's popular ROM Manager application and inclusion into CyanogenMod, the very popular third-party ROM that is available for a large number of Android devices, means that an easy way to gain super user permissions will be available to a large number of users by default.

Dutta says that one of the motivations for creating his own utility was to have an open source application available that can be built with Android's Native Development Kit (NDK) and be easily included in ROMs based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP); ClockworkMod Superuser fulfils all of these requirements. Dutta's tool can be downloaded from the ClockworkMod web site for ARM- and x86-based Android devices and its UI uses Android's current Holo theme. It supports logging of the permissions given to applications and can be protected against unauthorised access with a PIN. The source code for the tool is available on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 License.

As will all development software, The H recommends not using this tool in production or mission critical situations as it could potentially brick devices.

(fab)