VB Blog

DMARC: an imperfect solution that can make a big difference

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jul 24, 2017

US Senator Ron Wyden has asked the Department of Homeland Security to implement DMARC. Martijn Grooten looks at what difference this could make for phishing attacks impersonating the US federal governent.

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Advanced and inept persistent threats to be discussed at VB2017

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jul 20, 2017

Unsurprisingly given today's threat landscape, the VB2017 programme contains several talks on various advanced persistent threats - but also a talk on what may be the polar opposite of such threats: an inept persistent threat.

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Password security is 1% choosing a half-decent password, 99% not using it anywhere else

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jul 18, 2017

Password security advice focuses too much on password strength and too little on avoiding password reuse, Martijn Grooten argues.

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Save the dates: VB2018 to take place 3-5 October 2018

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jul 17, 2017

Though the location will remain a secret for a few more months, we are pleased to announce the dates for VB2018, the 28th Virus Bulletin International Conference.

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Review: BSides Athens 2017

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jul 10, 2017

The second edition of BSides Athens saw a great and varied programme presented in the Greek capital. VB's Martijn Grooten was pleased to attend.

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Let's not help attackers by spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jul 7, 2017

Spreading 'FUD' in the wake of cyber-attacks is never a good idea. But it's even worse when this might be one of the attackers' implicit goals.

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Calling next-gen security researchers: student discount for VB2017 announced

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jul 7, 2017

For the third year in a row, we have set aside a limited number of student tickets for the Virus Bulletin conference, to allow 'next-generation' security researchers to experience one of the most important gatherings of security researchers around the world.

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Nominations opened for fourth Péter Szőr Award

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jul 4, 2017

Virus Bulletin has opened nominations for the fourth annual Péter Szőr Award, for the best piece of technical security research published between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017.

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VB2016 paper: BlackEnergy – what we really know about the notorious cyber attacks

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jul 3, 2017

According to some researchers, there is some evidence linking the recent (Not)Petya attacks with the BlackEnergy group - which became infamous for its targeted attacks against the Ukraine. At VB2016, ESET researchers Anton Cherepanov and Robert Lipovsky spoke about BlackEnergy, providing an overview of the group's attacks. Today, we publish their paper.

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Security advice in the wake of WannaCry and Not(Petya)

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jun 30, 2017

As WannaCry and (Not)Petya have shown, malware attacks can do a lot of damage. So is staying safe just a case of following good security advice?

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VB2014 paper: Duping the machine - malware strategies, post sandbox detection

James Wyke looks at malware that takes extra steps to frustrate researchers.
James Wyke looks at malware that takes extra steps to frustrate researchers.Since the close of the VB2014 conference in Seattle in October, we have been sharing VB2014 conference… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/paper-duping-machine-malware-strategies-post-sandbox-detection/

Microsoft no longer publishes advance notifications for its Patch Tuesdays

Company unhappy with Google going full disclosure on privilege escalation vulnerability.
Company unhappy with Google going full disclosure on privilege escalation vulnerability. Tomorrow is the second Tuesday of the month and, as most people reading this blog will… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/microsoft-no-longer-publishes-advance-notifications-its-patch-tuesdays/

VB2014 Paper: Attack surface analysis of Tizen devices

Irfan Asrar looks at the security of the operating system used in many IoT devices.
Irfan Asrar looks at the security of the operating system used in many IoT devices.Since the close of the VB2014 conference in Seattle in October, we have been sharing VB2014… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/paper-attack-surface-analysis-tizen-devices/

VB2014 paper: Unveiling the kernel: rootkit discovery using selective automated kernel memory differencing

Ahmed Zaki and Benjamin Humphrey describe a system they built for the automated detection of rootkit behaviour.
Ahmed Zaki and Benjamin Humphrey describe a system they built for the automated detection of rootkit behaviour.Since the close of the VB2014 conference in Seattle in October, we… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/paper-unveiling-kernel-rootkit-discovery-using-selective-automated-kernel-memory-differencing/

New VB100 and VBSpam test results published

See which anti-malware and anti-spam solutions achieved certification.
See which anti-malware and anti-spam solutions achieved certification. Shortly before the Christmas holidays, we published a new VB100 anti-malware test report as well as a new… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/new-and-vbspam-test-results-published/

Virus Bulletin wishes you a great 2015

See you in Prague - and on the Internet!
See you in Prague - and on the Internet! 2014 was an exciting year for Virus Bulletin: we made all of our content free, ran a successful and well-attended conference in Seattle,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/wishes-you-great-2015/

2015

Latest news from the anti-virus industry provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
NewsCall for Papers: VB2016 DenverVB seeks submissions for the 26th Virus Bulletin Conference. 22 December 2015VB2015 video: Making a dent in Russian mobile banking… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/

January

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/

Conference review: Botconf 2014

Second edition of 'botnet fighting conference' another great success.
Second edition of 'botnet fighting conference' another great success. I had been looking forward to the second edition of the Botconf conference ever since I came back from the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/12/conference-review-botconf-2014/

Call for Papers: VB2015 Prague

VB seeks submissions for the 25th Virus Bulletin Conference.
VB seeks submissions for the 25th Virus Bulletin Conference.Virus Bulletin is seeking submissions from those wishing to present papers at VB2015, which will take place 30 September… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/12/call-papers-prague/

Book review: Countdown to Zero Day

Kim Zetter's book on Stuxnet is a must-read for anyone interested in malware - or in 21st century geopolitics.
Kim Zetter's book on Stuxnet is a must-read for anyone interested in malware - or in 21st century geopolitics. There is a tendency among the media to call every hack 'advanced', to… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/12/book-review-countdown-zero-day/

Virus Bulletin announces platinum sponsors for VB2015

More sponsorship opportunities available.
More sponsorship opportunities available. While the opening of VB2015 in Prague is still more than nine months away, we have already started with the preparations for what will be… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/12/announces-platinum-sponsors/

VB2014 paper: Smart home appliance security and malware

Jeongwook Oh demonstrates how to hack a Samsung smart TV.
Jeongwook Oh demonstrates how to hack a Samsung smart TV.Over the next few months, we will be sharing VB2014 conference papers as well as video recordings of the presentations.… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/12/paper-smart-home-appliance-security-and-malware/

Virus Bulletin is hiring

VB seeks a Perl Developer / Security Engineer.
VB seeks a Perl Developer / Security Engineer. 2014 has been an exciting year for Virus Bulletin: we went through some personnel changes, made all of our content freely available,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/12/hiring/

December

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/12/

Conference report: VB2014

The biggest and broadest ranging Virus Bulletin conference ever was a great success.
The biggest and broadest ranging Virus Bulletin conference ever was a great success. There is a Dutch expression that says that you shouldn't trust a butcher who judges his own… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/11/conference-report/

VB2014 paper: Labelling spam through the analysis of protocol patterns

What do your IP packet sizes say about whether you're a spammer?
What do your IP packet sizes say about whether you're a spammer?Over the next few months, we will be sharing VB2014 conference papers as well as video recordings of the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/11/paper-labelling-spam-through-analysis-protocol-patterns/

Detekt tool searches PCs for traces of surveillance spyware

Second opinion essential in circumstances under which likely victims operate.
Second opinion essential in circumstances under which likely victims operate. Last week, the release of the free 'Detekt' tool was announced. Developed by Claudio Guarnieri and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/11/detekt-tool-searches-pcs-traces-surveillance-spyware/

Multi-staged, modular Regin tool enables stealthy surveillance

Nation state likely behind campaign that goes back many years.
Nation state likely behind campaign that goes back many years. Few terms are misused in a security context as often as the term 'advanced', perhaps in part because the industry… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/11/multi-staged-modular-regin-tool-enables-stealthy-surveillance/

VB2014 paper: Sweeping the IP space: the hunt for evil on the Internet

Dhia Mahjoub explains how the topology of the AS graph can be used to uncover hotspots of maliciousness.
Dhia Mahjoub explains how the topology of the AS graph can be used to uncover hotspots of maliciousness.Over the next few months, we will be sharing VB2014 conference papers as… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/11/paper-sweeping-ip-space-hunt-evil-internet/

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