SecurityException: Binder invocation to an incorrect interface on signed APK

Question

I am developing a location aware application. I integrated Google Play Location Services and Google Maps into my application. My application runs without an issue in debug mode. When I generate a signed APK in release mode and run the application, it crashes on startup with following exception:

Process: com.example.akif, PID: 4233
    java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to resume activity {com.example.akif/com.example.akif.activities.MainActivity}: java.lang.SecurityException: Binder invocation to an incorrect interface
    at android.app.ActivityThread.performResumeActivity(ActivityThread.java:3400)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleResumeActivity(ActivityThread.java:3440)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2713)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.-wrap12(ActivityThread.java)
    at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1460)
    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:154)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6077)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:865)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:755)
Caused by: java.lang.SecurityException: Binder invocation to an incorrect interface
    at android.os.Parcel.nativeEnforceInterface(Native Method)
    at android.os.Parcel.enforceInterface(Parcel.java:482)
    at vz.onTransact(:com.google.android.gms.DynamiteModulesB:81)
    at android.os.Binder.transact(Binder.java:499)
    at com.google.android.gms.maps.a.bt.c(Unknown)
    at com.google.android.gms.maps.i.b(Unknown)
    at com.google.android.gms.b.d.b(Unknown)
    at com.google.android.gms.b.j.a(Unknown)
    at com.google.android.gms.maps.h.b(Unknown)
    at com.google.android.gms.maps.h.a(Unknown)
    at com.google.android.gms.b.a.c(Unknown)
    at com.google.android.gms.b.a.e(Unknown)
    at com.google.android.gms.maps.g.f(Unknown)
    at android.support.v4.app.k.ay(Unknown)
    at android.support.v4.app.x.l(Unknown)
    at android.support.v4.app.ax.h(Unknown)
    at android.support.v4.app.ax.i(Unknown)
    at android.support.v4.app.ax.run(Unknown)
    at android.support.v4.app.x.ae(Unknown)
    at android.support.v4.app.i.aa(Unknown)
    at android.support.v4.app.a.onPostResume(Unknown)
    at android.support.v7.app.a.onPostResume(Unknown)
    at android.app.Activity.performResume(Activity.java:6792)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.performResumeActivity(ActivityThread.java:3377)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleResumeActivity(ActivityThread.java:3440) 
    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2713) 
    at android.app.ActivityThread.-wrap12(ActivityThread.java) 
    at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1460) 
    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102) 
    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:154) 
    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6077) 
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) 
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:865) 

I noticed by following logs at each lifecycle method that this happens in my fragment's onResume method where I check for Google Play Services availability as following:

@Override public void onResume() {
    Log.debug(getClass(), "onResume()");

    GoogleApiAvailability googleApiAvailability = GoogleApiAvailability.getInstance();

    int googlePlayServicesAvailabilityResult = googleApiAvailability.isGooglePlayServicesAvailable(getContext());

    if (googlePlayServicesAvailabilityResult != ConnectionResult.SUCCESS) {
        if (!googleApiAvailability.isUserResolvableError(googlePlayServicesAvailabilityResult)) {
            Toast.makeText(getContext(), "Your device doesn't support Google Play location services. This application cannot run without it!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

            getActivity().finish();

            return;
        }

        Dialog errorDialog = googleApiAvailability.getErrorDialog(getActivity(), googlePlayServicesAvailabilityResult, GOOGLE_PLAY_SERVICES_REQUEST_CODE);

        if (errorDialog != null) {
            errorDialog.setCancelable(false);
            errorDialog.setCanceledOnTouchOutside(false);
            errorDialog.setOnDismissListener((DialogInterface dialogInterface) -> {
                Toast.makeText(getContext(), "You need Google Play location services to run this application!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

                getActivity().finish();
            });

            errorDialog.show();
        }
    } else if (googleApiClient.isConnected() && !isUpdatingLocation) {
        startLocationUpdates();
    }

    super.onResume();
}

My gradle file looks like following:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 24
    buildToolsVersion "24.0.1"

    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.example.akif"
        minSdkVersion 15
        targetSdkVersion 24
        versionCode 1
        versionName "0.1"

        jackOptions {
            enabled true
        }
    }

    compileOptions {
        sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
        targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
    }

    buildTypes {
        debug {
            applicationIdSuffix '.test'
        }

        release {
            minifyEnabled true
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(include: ['*.jar'], dir: 'libs')
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:24.2.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:24.2.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:design:24.2.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:preference-v7:24.2.0'
    compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-location:9.4.0'
    compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-maps:9.4.0'
    compile 'com.github.mehmetakiftutuncu:toolbelt:1.1.0'
    compile 'com.squareup.okhttp3:okhttp:3.4.1'
    compile 'joda-time:joda-time:2.9.4'
}

I have two Google Maps API keys set up according to my package names com.example.akif.test and com.example.akif respectively for debug and release modes. So, I don't think it's related to package names but then again, it could very well be about that as I didn't understand anything from the error.

Any idea what is happening?

Answer 1

After doing a lot of research with almost no results, I was able to fix the issue with following Proguard rules:

-keep public class com.google.android.gms.* { public *; }
-dontwarn com.google.android.gms.**

I still don't know the real reason why I had this issue but it seems fixed with this.

Hope this helps.