Method for the monitoring of system security in electronic devices

• US 7,506,799 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: O'Donoghue, Niall
• Primary Examiner(s): Koyama; Kumiko C
• Application Number:
  US10/903,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20060026676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/379, 235/380, 235/382, 235/492, 235/493
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A method, an electronic device and a computer program, for the monitoring of system security in an electronic device. In the method a security monitoring entity initiation event provided by a user is detected. Security information on at least one application process executing in the electronic device is gathered. The security information is presented on a display in the electronic device. After the presentation of the security information, the user is, for example, allowed to select at least one of the at least one application process and the at least one of the at least one application process is terminated.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a user interface action in said electronic device;

initiating a security monitoring application in said electronic device in response to said user interface action;

gathering security information on at least a first application process among at least one application process executing in said electronic device to said security monitoring application, said security information comprising identification of a remote party with which said first application process is communicating, a port number or a protocol name for the protocol used by said first application process and a name of at least one file open in said first application process;

forming a security information list using said security information, said security information list comprising an entry for said first application process, said entry comprising a name of said first application process, said identification of said remote party, said port number or said protocol name and said name of the at least one file; and

presenting said security information list on a display in said electronic device.

2. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

allowing the user to select at least one of said at least one application process; and

terminating said at least one of said at least one application process.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said security monitoring entity initiation event is a predetermined sequence of key presses.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said sequence of key presses comprises the keys corresponding to characters T, R, U, S and T on a keypad associated with the electronic device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said security information comprises at least a trust status of said at least one application process.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said security information comprises data communication activity of said at least one application process.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said data communication activity comprises ports used.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said security information comprises security of communications engaged in by said at least one application process.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device is a mobile station.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store at least a security monitor application and at least one application process;

a display to show a security monitor dialog;

a keypad;

a processor coupled to the memory, the display and the keypad, wherein the processor is configured

to detect a user interface action,

to initiate a security monitoring application in said electronic device in response to said user interface action,

to gather security information on at least a first application process among said at least one application process executing in said electronic device to said security monitoring application, said security information comprising identification of a remote party with which said first application process is communicating, a port number or a protocol name for the protocol used by said first application process and a name of at least one file open in said first application process,

to form a security information list using said security information, said security information list comprising an entry for said first application process, said entry comprising a name of said first application process, said identification of said remote party. said port number or said protocol name and said name of the at least one file, and

to present said security information list on said display.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to allow the user to select at least one of said at least one application process, and to terminate said at least one of said at least one application process.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said security monitoring entity initiation event is a predetermined sequence of key presses.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said sequence of key presses comprises keys corresponding to characters T, R, U, S and T on the keypad.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said security information comprises at least a trust status of said at least one application process.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said security information comprises data communication activity of said at least one application process.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said data communication activity comprises ports used.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said security information comprises security of communications engaged in by said at least one application process.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said electronic device is a mobile station.

19. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising code for controlling a processor to execute a method comprising:

detecting a user interface action in an electronic device;

initiating a security monitoring application in response to said user interface action;

gathering security information on at least a first application process among at least one application process executing in said electronic device to said security monitoring application, said security information comprising identification of a remote party with which said first application process is communicating, a port number or a protocol name for the protocol used by said first application process and a name of at least one file open in said first application process;

forming a security information list using said security information, said security information list comprising an entry for said first application process, said entry comprising a name of said first application process, said identification of said remote party, said port number or said protocol name and said name of the at least one file; and

presenting said security information on a display in said electronic device.

20. The computer program according to claim 19, wherein said computer readable medium is a removable memory card.

21. The computer program according to claim 19, wherein said computer readable medium is a magnetic or an optical disk.