Mobile communication device and method of determining security status thereof

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a microphone;

a display;

computer storage configured to store:

an operating system for the mobile communication device;

a messaging application for effecting via a network a secure messaging session between the mobile communication device and at least one remote device; and

one or more other software applications;

a processor configured to execute the messaging application;

the messaging application having a launched state and an unlaunched state, and on transitioning from the unlaunched state to the launched state, the messaging application is configured to:

check a status of the operating system and for presence of test-keys;

check for presence of software applications that allow access to the mobile communication device in root mode thereof;

check for an ability to perform operations on behalf of a root user;

determine occurrence of additional, unauthorized components, libraries, and modules of the operating system;

before initializing an incoming call, check whether the messaging application has exclusive access to the microphone, and if the microphone is being used by another software application, the incoming call is cancelled, and

if any of these conditions are met, the mobile communication device is considered compromised and a visual warning message is displayed on the display.

2. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the messaging application is configured to check throughout a messaging application call whether the messaging application has exclusive access to the microphone, and if the microphone is being used by another software application, the messaging application call is cancelled.

3. A method of determining a security status of a device, the method being performed on a mobile communication device comprising:

a microphone;

a display;

computer storage configured to store:

an operating system for the device,

a messaging application for effecting via a network a secure messaging session between the device and at least one remote device; and

one or more other software applications;

a processor configured to execute the messaging application, the messaging application having a launched state and an unlaunched state;

the method comprising, on transitioning of the messaging application from the unlaunched state to the launched state, checking with the messaging application:

a status of the operating system and for presence of test-keys;

for a presence of software applications that allow access to the mobile communication device in root mode thereof;

for an ability to perform operations on behalf of a root user;

for occurrence of additional, unauthorized components, libraries, and modules of the operating system, and if any of these is detected, displaying on the display a visual warning message;

before initializing an incoming call, checking with the messaging application whether it has exclusive access to the microphone, and if the microphone is being used by another software application, cancelling the incoming call; and:

if any of these conditions are met, considering the device to be compromised and displaying a visual warning message on the display.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising checking throughout a messaging application call whether the messaging application has exclusive access to the microphone; wherein if the microphone is being used by another software application, cancelling the messaging application call.

5. A computer program product comprising a messaging application stored on a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium and configured, when executed on a processor of a mobile communication device, to effect a secure messaging session between the mobile communication device and at least one remote device via a network,

the messaging application having a launched state and an unlaunched state, and on transitioning from the unlaunched state to the launched state, the messaging application is configured to check:

a status of the operating system and for presence of test-keys;

for a presence of software applications that allow access to the mobile communication device in root mode thereof;

for an ability to perform operations on behalf of a root user;

for occurrence of additional, unauthorized components, libraries, and modules of the operating system, and if any of these is detected, to display on the display a visual warning message;

before initializing an incoming call, to check whether the messaging application has exclusive access to a microphone of the mobile communication device, and if the microphone is being used by another software application, to cancel the incoming call; and

if any of these conditions is met, to consider the mobile communication device to be compromised and to display a visual warning message on the display.