Google Pixel and Pixel XL would be difficult to ROOT

Google has modified the source code of the Android kernel, which should be difficult for developers to allow root on the next phone brand, Pixel and Pixel XL.
 

 
The new structure of Android partitions that will be used on future Google Pixel and Pixel XL could make the root difficult or impossible at first. It is in any case the conclusion of the very known site XDA-developers , according to analyzes of Dees_Troy on the source code of Android 7.0 Nougat core.

How to work the root before Marshmallow?

To understand the analysis of XDA, you must first understand how users can now rooter telephone. Originally, Android devices were getting access to the root by changing the System partition.
Since the arrival of Android 6.0 Marshmallow and improving the security of Android (because the root is always based on a security hole), the phone is able to verify the integrity of the System partition, which had the effect of blocking the methods of traditional root. To verify this, the phone uses the dm-verity method that performs a calculation using the System partition data. If the partition changes, the result of the calculation changes and dm-verity detects corruption.
Some phones may still be started despite the detection of corruption (in this case a message will appear each time the phone), but Android 7.0 Nougat now requires manufacturers to force the restart of the device so that the partition is corrupted.

The systemless Root to the rescue

Not to corrupt the System partition and thus be detected by dm-verity, the famous developer Chainfire has developed a method called "systemless Root" (which does not affect System). This new method works by modifying the ramdisk partition for the root to be loaded from the start, without touching the System partition. This method also allows, where possible, disabling the forced reboot after detecting dm-verity and disable dm-verity itself.

Google has changed the System partition

But then, Dees_Troy, the developer of TWRP to who has the idea of using the new update system for the dual boot , discovered several suspicious changes in the source code of the Android kernel. He explains that essentially partition the System now includes what before was known as the Ramdisk and System partitions. In other words, change the ramdisk partition now return to change the System partition which will be marked by dm-verity.

One way to circumvent?

To work around again the security of Android, Dees_Troy hypothesizes a modification of the kernel on the phone to disable dm-verity. This change, however, could make it impossible to install update OTA. Now expect the release of Google Pixel Pixel XL and for the developer community starts working. The beginnings of the two phones Google on XDA scene should however be more complicated than in previous years.