View source for GSoC/2024/StatusReports/ShellWen

== Update SSHD library in KDE Connect Android app ==
The KDE Connect Android App utilizes Apache Mina SSHD for file system sharing over a local network. However, the current version (0.14.0) is outdated, posing security and stability risks. This project aims to update the library to the latest version (2.12.1). Idea from https://community.kde.org/GSoC/2024/Ideas#Update_SSH_library_in_the_Android_app.
== Work report ==
'''Task Analysis & Objectives:'''
* Identified that the current version of Apache Mina SSHD (0.14.0) used for file system sharing in the KDE Connect Android app is outdated, posing potential security and stability risks.
* The goal of this project is to update the Apache Mina SSHD library to version 2.12.1 to enhance the app's security, stability, and performance.

'''Update Process:'''
* Located the dependencies and configuration files related to the Apache Mina SSHD library within the Android project, which uses Gradle for dependency management and a Gradle version catalog to manage versions across the project.
* Migrated the library step-by-step across major versions to Apache Mina SSHD 2.12.1, adapting to upstream changes and ensuring compatibility throughout the process.
* One of the major challenges was that the newer SSHD version switched to using <code>java.nio</code> as the backend for the file system, whereas the older version used its own file system backend implementation. Since Android's Storage Access Framework (SAF) lacks a corresponding <code>java.nio</code> implementation, it required writing a custom mapping of SAF to <code>java.nio</code>, which proved to be highly complex.

'''Testing & Validation:'''
* Conducted manual testing of the file system sharing feature, validating performance and stability across various devices and network environments.
* Used security scanning tools to confirm that known security vulnerabilities were mitigated and verified that the new version did not introduce new security issues.

'''Results & Future Plans:'''
* Successfully completed the upgrade of the Apache Mina SSHD library and merged the changes into the main branch (see [https://invent.kde.org/network/kdeconnect-android/-/merge_requests/451 kdeconnect-android#451]).
* Future plans include continued monitoring of the app's performance and addressing any potential edge cases that may arise.

== Links ==
[https://invent.kde.org/network/kdeconnect-android/-/merge_requests/451 kdeconnect-android#451]