‘Android version Pokémon Go scans storage users’

The Android version of Pokémon Go has started scanning users’ storage in one of the most recent versions. The app has access to the storage because it wants to store and read data in its own folder.

Pokémon Go with Magisk folder on storage

The game scans the storage to find traces that users have root access, according to users on Reddit. In addition, it does not check whether users actually have access to the file system, but it checks for folder names such as ‘Magisk’, a popular application for gaining root access on Android.

If users have such a folder on storage, the game throws an “unauthorized device lockout” error when logging in, without explaining why users can’t log in. Pokémon Go only seems to do the scan since a recent update. The game checks for root access, presumably to prevent players from cheating by, for example, faking GPS locations. Some cheats are only possible with root. Storage scanning is still in the game after an update this week, Android Police reports.

With the measure, Pokémon Go may violate Google’s rules for apps in the Play Store. Google states, “A permission request must be understandable by users and limited to the critical information needed to deploy your app.” Google has not yet responded to the matter.