DroidCat: Android Data Extraction and Backup Unpacking Tool

DroidCat is a fledgling, yet versatile command-line utility designed for extracting data from Android devices and unpacking Android backup files (.ab). This tool simplifies the process of pulling accessible data and app data from a connected Android device and offers functionality to unpack and decrypt Android backup files.

Features

• Data Extraction: Efficiently pull data and app data from connected Android devices.
• Backup Unpacking: Unpack and decrypt password-protected .ab backup files into a readable format.
• Custom ID Tagging: Option to tag extraction and backup operations with a custom identifier for easy organization.
• Helpful Documentation: Includes usage instructions to guide through each available command.

Prerequisites

Before using DroidCat, ensure the following requirements are met:

• ADB (Android Debug Bridge): Must be installed and properly configured on your system. Verify its installation by running adb version in your terminal.
• Java: Required for running the Android Backup Extractor (ABE). Ensure Java is installed and available in your system's PATH.
• Android Backup Extractor (ABE): DroidCat relies on ABE for unpacking .ab files. ABE must be present in the system's PATH. ABE can be obtained from https://github.com/nelenkov/android-backup-extractor. Follow the installation instructions provided in the repository to ensure ABE is set up correctly.

Installation

1. Clone or download the DroidCat script to your local machine.
2. Ensure that adb, java, and abe.jar are in your system's PATH, or adjust the script to point to their locations.
3. Make the script executable by running chmod +x droidcat in your terminal.

Usage

DroidCat can be invoked with the following commands:

Extract Data from Device

./droidcat extract [ID]

This command pulls all accessible data from the connected device. If an optional ID is provided, it tags the backup directory and file names for easy identification.

Unpack an Android Backup File

./droidcat unpack /path/to/backup.ab [password]

Unpacks a given Android backup file. If the backup is password-protected, provide the password as the second argument. If no password is provided, the script attempts to unpack the backup without a password.

Display Help Information

./droidcat --help

Shows usage information for DroidCat, detailing available commands and options.

Note on ABE

The Android Backup Extractor (ABE) is essential for unpacking .ab files. Ensure that abe.jar is located in a directory included in your system's PATH or adjust the unpack_backup function in the DroidCat script to point directly to its location.

Contributing

Contributions to DroidCat are welcome! Please refer to the project's issues and pull requests to propose improvements or submit bug fixes.

License

DroidCat is distributed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for more information.

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DroidCat is designed to simplify data extraction and backup management for Android devices, streamlining what can otherwise be a complex process. Whether for backup, recovery, or analysis purposes, DroidCat offers a powerful toolset for Android data handling.