I took a look at the new BlackBerry version 5.0.0 Operating System API.  RIM is offering the simulator and development kit as a Beta release and I think the OS has already been leaked online.  One excellent feature that RIM have added is the CodeModuleListener.  This interface allows a developer to design an application that knows when applications or modules are installed, deleted or scheduled for deletion on the handheld.  Its got three methods:

1. moduleDeletionsPending()
2. modulesAdded()
3. modulesDeleted()

Once implemented correctly, you can look at it like a security guard that sits in front of a room, guarding the door.  Nothing is allowed into or out of the room without the guard knowing.  Once the guard knows somethings coming in, he can call up central that tells him what to do next: block the entry, for example.

I plan on implementing this interface in my Kisses application; most likely in a later release as most of my code is ready to go and I’m only testing things out right now.  Once completed, Kisses will not only be able to detect hidden processes and programs, but it will also be able to warn you when something is either being installed or removed from your handheld (that is, only if you have 5.0.0).  You can jury rig a similar set of functionality, but you’d have to write a lot of code for it and even then, it won’t be as real-time as using CodeModuleListener so I’m not going in that direction.

The trick is, that it can be a double-edged sword, though.  If an application can use this feature for good, then an application might be able to use this feature for evil purposes as well.  It requires a bit more research and I’ll share the results here.