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I'm not disabled, so how do Accessibility Services affect me?

As a feature, Android's Accessibility Services affect nearly everyone. It is true that Accessibility Services were developed to help those with disabilities, but you can find far more Android apps that were not specifically written for those with disabilities utilizing this feature than apps written for those with disabilities.

From a programming (and hacking) point of view, Accessibility Services give unfettered access to almost all of Android. With this access, an Accessibility Service can see and record every action that takes place on your device, from recording keystrokes to altering what is displayed, copying your files to the internet, and even enabling your camera and microphone. Accessibility Services are very powerful and, therefore, potentially dangerous.

If you check your Accessibility Services' settings page (in your device's settings), chances are you will find at least a few apps that request this feature. Most of these apps are legitimate and are completely harmless, but there are more than a few out there that pose a serious security risk.

Probably the most infamous Accessibility Service attack uses a technique called "clickjacking," but there are more. Once enabled, an Accessibility Service can pretty much do what it wants, including transmitting your typed passwords to the malware's originator. There are quite a number of article written on the subject, so I'll only link one here, but for more information about how these attacks work and what to look for, search the internet. For even more information, you should also search for an article titled "Cloak and Dagger."

Google has identified some of these vulnerabilities and is doing everything in its power to fix them, but is that enough? Because so many popular apps depend upon Accessibly Services to bring you convenience, there was public outcry when Google tried shutting Accessibility Services down for any app not specifically targeted at those with disabilities. Many, many apps, from launchers to password security rely on these services. Restricting access would only harm the community.

Accessibility Service security is in a state of flux. Easier access for those with disabilities is required by law and also, many popular apps. Protect yourself, don't rely on others. No app can definitively identify Accessibility Service security risk, but Dolor Liberum can help you expose malicious Accessibility Service patterns, so you can decide for yourself if a particular risk is worth taking.