Shuame is a Chinese app for Windows. It could be Root Genius is the English translation. How can we be sure this is safe, not malware, not stealing IMEA numbers?

• How to Root every MTK China Phone takes you through making a recovery using stock ROM. Requires Preloader mode and a bunch of Windows apps. Walks you through generating a scatterfile.

• MTK Droid alternate link runs in Windows only and reads/writes scatterfiles. Can also root
• Mediatek (MTK) Auto Philz recovery porter creates custom recovery

• Hovatek has forums and how-tos and seems like a good source of information. They offer private consulting at $10/hour
• How to use Wwr MTK + SP Flash tool to backup Mediatek rom
• VCOM drivers (specifically for Mediatek for communication with preloader)

• install TWRP

Some commands once in fastboot mode:

• get Wi-Fi passwords
• basically adb pull /data/misc/wifi/wpa_supplicant.conf

• How to build a custom launcher

• The app sandbox

Apps need to be system apps to have root-type privs

• How to make your app a system app on a rooted device
• root run bash-like commands etc.
• tutorial on Medium on how to make system apps

For apps to have root access they need to be system apps. For KitKat the app needs to be in /system/priv-app with 644 permissions.

• Example: cat /sdcard/SecureSetting.apk > /system/priv-app/SecureSetting.apk (cp works too)

• change boot animation
  • when compressing the animation to a zip, make sure the zip is uncompressed (use the -0 flag)
• Mount system RW: mount -o rw,remount /system
• Mount system RO: mount -o ro,remount /system