Blocked callers (incoming/outgoing) settings location

Hello.

I was wondering what file, and where, controls the Call and SMS filtering.

Can this file be edited on a computer, so that I wouldn’t have to open the app to add/remove users to the blocked list. Once edited, I would push the file to the correct location (data/data/com.avast.android.mobilesecurity/?) that Avast uses for the blocked list.

Hi,

it’s stored in the database with all the other stuff in Mobile Security so I really wouldn’t recommend modifying the file externally. You could break the whole thing :slight_smile:

Filip

O, I see.

Well let me explain why I want to do that: I am using an MDM software to control the devices deployed by my company. They want the users in the field to be able to make/receive calls from ONLY the contacts in their phone (they are using Google Apps, so they have shared contacts which would get synced to all the devices). However, no MDM as of now can control the contacts. So using Avast, I know I can block all numbers NOT in the contacts list.

So my solution would involve installing (and of course preventing the opening/uninstallation of) Avast. I can push that out via the MDM program. Your question might be, “how would you configure the app remotely on each device, that would be impossible!” Well, I know that every app that is installed has configuration files that are saved in the /data/data/“app package id name” folder, which is true of Avast, as well. I was thinking that if this file that controls blocked numbers is as simple as a txt or xml file which can be easily edited to add/delete numbers, then I can edit this file anytime an update of whitelisted numbers is needed, and then push that file (via the MDM) to that folder in every phone.

Let me know what you think, and if it CAN be done, even with the .db file.

Hi,

well, you can open up the database file using pretty much any SQLite editing software on your PC, edit it and push it to your devices. There are two challenges I see with that:

  1. Possible database corruption - I don’t really know how the numerous editing apps work so I can’t tell if they’ll break the database or not (even though I guess they shouldn’t).
  2. Failure while pushing the file - the database is open during the whole runtime of Mobile Security and overwriting it during that might cause app crash or overwrite failure.

I can’t really test any of the mention since this is really not a common usecase of the app.

Filip

I’ll have to see if the MDM allows me to force stop an app. If so, I’ll do that, THEN push the file to the device.

Question, I have the avast.db file open in a SQLite editor. I have no idea what im looking for lol. By looking at this picture, am I close? How would I change it so that ONLY contacts in the phone are allowed? All non-contacts will not be allowed to be dialed out and rejected when incoming.