VB Blog

First sponsors of VB2017 announced

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Mar 6, 2017

We are excited to announce the first five sponsors of VB2017, companies based in Europe, Asia and North America.

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Security products and HTTPS: let's do it better

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 27, 2017

A recent paper showed that many HTTPS-intercepting security solutions have implemented TLS rather poorly. Does that mean we should avoid such solutions altogether?

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The SHA-1 hashing algorithm has been 'shattered'

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 23, 2017

Researchers from Google and CWI Amsterdam have created the first known collision of the SHA-1 hashing algorithm, making a very strong case to ditch it.

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Throwback Thursday: Once a researcher...

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Feb 23, 2017

VB was saddened to learn this week of the passing of one of the pioneers of the AV industry, Ross Greenberg. This Throwback Thursday we look back at an interview with Ross in November 1995.

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VB2017: What is happening in the threat landscape and what are we doing against it? Submit a proposal in the VB2017 CFP!

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 20, 2017

Have you analysed a new online threat? Do you know a new way to defend against such threats? Then submit an abstract in the CFP for VB2017!

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VB2016 paper: APT reports and OPSEC evolution, or: these are not the APT reports you are looking for

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 17, 2017

APT reports are great for gaining an understanding of how advanced attack groups operate - however, they can also provide free QA for the threat actors. Today, we publish a VB2016 paper by Gadi Evron (Cymmetria) and Inbar Raz (Perimeter X), who discuss what they think is wrong with many APT reports and what can be done to improve them.

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Security for your ears: recommended infosec podcasts

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 14, 2017

Industry veteran Mikko Hyppönen recently urged would-be security researchers to ditch their favourite pop music and listen to security podcasts on their commute to work instead. Virus Bulletin Editor Martijn Grooten shares his favourite security podcasts.

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VB2016 video: Getting duped: piggybacking on webcam streams for surreptitious recordings

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 10, 2017

In a presentation at VB2016, Patrick Wardle, Director of Research at Synack, discussed the possibilities of Mac malware recording the user via the webcam. Today, we publish the video of Patrick's presentation.

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We shouldn't forget those most vulnerable in our digital world

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 9, 2017

Virus Bulletin Editor Martijn Grooten calls for the security community not to forget those most vulnerable in the digital world, including political activists living under oppressive regimes, and victims of abuse.

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Throwback Thursday: A troubled world

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Feb 9, 2017

In early 1991, the world was a troubled place and conflict and violence were being reported globally on a daily basis. With this as a backdrop, the world of "indiscriminate" computer viruses which "victimise in a random and unpredictable manner" seemed relatively trivial to then Editor of VB, Edward Wilding.

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Search blog

Paper: Obfuscation in Android malware, and how to fight back

Axelle Apvrille and Ruchna Nigam look at both off-the-shelf products and custom obfuscation techniques.
Axelle Apvrille and Ruchna Nigam look at both off-the-shelf products and custom obfuscation techniques. After a relatively slow start, in recent years mobile malware has really… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/07/paper-obfuscation-android-malware-and-how-fight-back/

July

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/07/

Virus Bulletin celebrates 25th birthday by making all content free

Neither subscription nor registration required to access content.
Neither subscription nor registration required to access content. Happy birthday Virus Bulletin! Today it is exactly 25 years since, in the very first issue of Virus Bulletin,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/07/celebrates-25th-birthday-making-all-content-free/

Exploit kit requires link to be clicked before redirection

Automatic analysis of malicious payloads becomes a little bit harder again.
Automatic analysis of malicious payloads becomes a little bit harder again. A security researcher at ESET has discovered how a malicious site serving the Angler exploit kit… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/06/exploit-kit-requires-link-be-clicked-redirection/

Cheap Android phone comes shipped with spyware

Trojan masquerades as Google Play app; cannot be removed.
Trojan masquerades as Google Play app; cannot be removed. Researchers at German security firm G Data have discovered Android smartphones that come shipped with spyware. The phone… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/06/cheap-android-phone-comes-shipped-spyware/

Virus Bulletin seeks security researchers

Would you like to publish your research through Virus Bulletin - or perhaps even work for us?
Would you like to publish your research through Virus Bulletin - or perhaps even work for us? As of 1 July, all Virus Bulletin content will be freely available to everyone. This… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/06/seeks-security-researchers/

Game over for GameOver Zeus botnet?

Coordinated effort against gang that's also behind CryptoLocker ransomware.
Coordinated effort against gang that's also behind CryptoLocker ransomware. A large, coordinated effort involving law enforcement, security vendors and various security… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/06/game-over-gameover-zeus-botnet/

June

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/06/

June issue of VB published

The June issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download.
The June issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download. The June 2014 issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to browse online or download… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/06/june-issue-vb-published/

Virus Bulletin announces Péter Ször Award

'Brilliant mind and a true gentleman' commemorated through annual award for technical security research.
'Brilliant mind and a true gentleman' commemorated through annual award for technical security research. In commemoration of the life and work of security researcher Péter Ször,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/05/announces-p-ter-sz-r-award/

1 in 500 secure connections use forged certificate

For reasons ranging from relatively good, to actual malware.
For reasons ranging from relatively good, to actual malware. Researchers from Facebook and Carnegie Mellon University have published a paper (PDF) in which they show that out of a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/05/1-500-secure-connections-use-forged-certificate/

May issue of VB published

The May issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download.
The May issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download. The May 2014 issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to browse online or download… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/05/may-issue-vb-published/

May

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/05/

AOL spam spreads 'NotCompatible' Android trojan

AOL responds by following Yahoo! in setting strict DMARC policy.
AOL responds by following Yahoo! in setting strict DMARC policy. This week, #AOLhacked has become a popular hashtag on Twitter: many AOL users are using it to complain that their… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/04/aol-spam-spreads-notcompatible-android-trojan/

Yahoo's DMARC policy wreaks havoc among mailing lists

Collateral damage in instruction to reject emails with invalid DKIM signatures.
Collateral damage in instruction to reject emails with invalid DKIM signatures. A change in Yahoo's DMARC policy has caused frustration among operators of many mailing lists and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/04/yahoo-s-dmarc-policy-wreaks-havoc-among-mailing-lists/

A week of Heartbleed

OpenSSL vulnerability has kept the security community busy.
OpenSSL vulnerability has kept the security community busy. The 'Heartbleed' vulnerability has kept everyone on their toes over the last week or so - hitting the mainstream media,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/04/week-heartbleed/

VB2014 programme and keynote announced

Exciting range of topics to be covered at VB conference in Seattle this September; Katie Moussouris to deliver keynote address.
Exciting range of topics to be covered at VB conference in Seattle this September; Katie Moussouris to deliver keynote address. Altogether, almost 150 proposals were submitted for… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/04/programme-and-keynote-announced/

OpenSSL vulnerability lets attackers quietly steal servers' private keys

Security firm advises regenerating keys and replacing certificates on vulnerable servers.
Security firm advises regenerating keys and replacing certificates on vulnerable servers. A very serious vulnerability in OpenSSL has caused panic among network administrators:… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/04/openssl-vulnerability-lets-attackers-quietly-steal-servers-private-keys/

April issue of VB published

The April issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download.
The April issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download. The April 2014 issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to browse online or… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/04/april-issue-vb-published/

April

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2014/04/

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