How to compile GrapheneOS with a custom /etc/hosts file

marcello

Hello,

first and foremost, I am very thankful for your project, you are truly doing invaluable work for the privacy-minded!

I have a special use case for which it would be the most elegant solution to modify the /etc/hosts file. Since the security model understandably does not allow for that, my idea was to compile and sign my "own version" of GOS, only with the /etc/hosts already modified at compile time. Thus, the security model would stay intact.

I have synced the repository, but a quick "find -name hosts" did not bring satisfying results. Where would that file be that I would have to modify before compilation? Is it hidden in an archive/image? I have never compiled an Android ROM, but I have a CS background so I think I can manage it if given a few hints.

Thank you in advance!

23Sha-ger

Do yourself a favor and don't go that route, especially if you have no prior Android development experience.
Especially when now there is a different branch for early security patches where the source is published much later than it's released with the security GOS releases. You will do more harm than good.

marcello the most elegant solution to modify the /etc/hosts file

The most elegant solution in your case would simply use a custom DNS server, it can be one that you host like Pihole or unbound, or it can be a freemium service like NextDNS/RethinkDNS where you can set overrides per specific hosts, redirect hosts to 127.0.0.1 and so on. With both of them you will have more flexibility anyway than just simply making a hardcoded file at compile time.

aw22

marcello

The RethinkDNS app is nice and what I use, but to answer your question, you should be able to edit the file from the source directory here:

/system/core/rootdir/etc/hosts