VB Blog

Alleged author of creepy FruitFly macOS malware arrested

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 11, 2018

A 28-year old man from Ohio has been arrested on suspicion of having created the mysterious FruitFly malware that targeted macOS and used it to spy on its victims.

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The threat and security product landscape in 2017

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 10, 2018

At the start of the new year, Virus Bulletin looks back at the threats seen in the 2017 and at the security products that are available to help mitigate them.

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Spamhaus report shows many botnet controllers look a lot like legitimate servers

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 9, 2018

Spamhaus's annual report on botnet activity shows that botherders tend to use popular, legitimate hosting providers, domain registrars and top-level domains when setting up command-and-control servers.

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Tips on researching tech support scams

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 5, 2018

As tech support scammers continue to target the computer illiterate through cold calling, VB's Martijn Grooten uses his own experience to share some advice on how to investigate such scams.

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Meltdown and Spectre attacks mitigated by operating system updates

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 4, 2018

Just four days into the new year, two serious attacks in modern processors, dubbed Meltdown and Spectre, have been discovered. The attacks can be mitigated by patches to the operating system, but anti-virus software vendors need to make sure their products are compatible with the patches.

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Conference review: AVAR 2017

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 22, 2017

Martijn Grooten reports on the 20th AVAR conference, which took place earlier in December in Beijing, China.

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Conference review: Botconf 2017

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Dec 22, 2017

Virus Bulletin researchers report back from a very interesting fifth edition of Botconf, the botnet fighting conference.

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VB2017 videos on attacks against Ukraine

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 21, 2017

(In)security is a global issue that affects countries around the world, but in recent years none has been so badly hit as Ukraine. Today, we publish the videos of two VB2017 talks about attacks that hit Ukraine particularly badly: a talk by Alexander Adamov (NioGuard) on (Not)Petya and related attacks, and another by Robert Lipovsky and Anton Cherepanov (ESET) on Industroyer.

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Facebook helps you determine whether emails really came from its servers

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 21, 2017

On its website, Facebook now shows which emails it has sent you recently, thus helping you to determine which emails are real, and which should be discarded as phishing.

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Vulnerability disclosure and botnet takedown not to be hindered by Wassenaar Arrangement

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 19, 2017

Clarification in the language of the Wassenaar Arrangement, a multilateral export control regime for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies, means those involved in vulnerability disclosure or botnet takedown won't have to worry about acquiring an export licence.

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Search blog

Drop reported in infected computers worldwide

Nearly one third of computers still found to be infected.
Nearly one third of computers still found to be infected. The proportion of infected computers worldwide decreased from 38.49% in 2011 to 31.98% last year, according to an annual… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/02/drop-reported-infected-computers-worldwide/

Happy Safer Internet Day

10th annual awareness day focuses on rights and responsibilities.
10th annual awareness day focuses on rights and responsibilities. Today (5th February) is Safer Internet Day 2013 across the world. Safer Internet Day (SID) is organised by the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/02/happy-safer-internet-day/

Impressive results in latest VBSpam test

Excellent performances in spam filter test - plus evidence of a correlation between spam 'passing' SPF and an increased delivery rate.
Excellent performances in spam filter test - plus evidence of a correlation between spam 'passing' SPF and an increased delivery rate. No fewer than ten anti-spam solutions… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/02/impressive-results-latest-vbspam-test/

February issue of VB published

The February issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download.
The February issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download. The February 2013 issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to browse online or… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/02/february-issue-vb-published/

February

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/02/

Phone support scammers attempt repeat business

Previous victims contacted again and tricked into 'renewing' service.
Previous victims contacted again and tricked into 'renewing' service. Phone support scammers have found a new way to make easy money: by calling back people whom they have… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/01/phone-support-scammers-attempt-repeat-business/

Avast launches bug bounty programme

Security firm offers reward for info on bugs.
Security firm offers reward for info on bugs. Security firm Avast Software, producer of the popular avast! free anti-virus solution, has announced a bug bounty programme to… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/01/avast-launches-bug-bounty-programme/

VB2014 - location, location, location

Cat escapes bag as details of VB2014 conference are announced.
Cat escapes bag as details of VB2014 conference are announced. Keeping shtum about the dates and details for VB2014 - the 24th Virus Bulletin International Conference - has not… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/01/location-location-location/

Indian government proposes pamphlet-based cybersecurity education

Mandatory brochures not welcomed by manufacturers.
Mandatory brochures not welcomed by manufacturers. In an attempt to raise public awareness of security issues, the Indian government has proposed a plan in which it will be… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/01/indian-government-proposes-pamphlet-based-cybersecurity-education/

Anonymous petitions Obama Administration

Anti-virus and security related articles provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
"Make DDoS a legal form of protest." Hacking/protest group Anonymous has petitioned the Obama Administration to recognize DDoS attacks as a legal form of protest. The petition… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/01/anonymous-petitions-obama-administration/

Cat carries computer virus

Cat collared.
Cat collared. Japanese police have captured a cat said to be carrying a computer virus on a memory card attached to its collar. The bizarre 'arrest' came after various Japanese… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/01/cat-carries-computer-virus/

European Cybercrime Centre set for launch

Central cybercrime resource for EU member states.
Central cybercrime resource for EU member states. This Friday will see the doors of the new European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) officially open in The Hague. The EC3 - which will be… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/01/european-cybercrime-centre-set-launch/

January issue of VB published

The January issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download.
The January issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download. The January 2013 issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to browse online or… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/01/january-issue-vb-published/

2013

Latest news from the anti-virus industry provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
NewsBotconf - the 'first botnet fighting conference'Tools, ideas and research presented in Nantes. 10 December 2013VB2014: more of the same, plus something a little… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/

January

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2013/01/

December

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2012/12/

December issue of VB published

The December issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download.
The December issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download. The December 2012 issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to browse online or… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2012/12/december-issue-vb-published/

Correction to VBSpam results

Spamhaus and SURBL results re-evaluated.
Spamhaus and SURBL results re-evaluated. The most recent VBSpam results incorrectly stated that SURBL failed to detect a blacklisted URL in any of the emails in the Wombat feed of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2012/11/correction-vbspam-results/

Virus Bulletin announces VBWeb tests for web filters

Regular comparative tests will show which products offer best protection from malicious web traffic.
Regular comparative tests will show which products offer best protection from malicious web traffic. Just as security companies can't afford to neglect the major infection vector… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2012/11/announces-vbweb-tests-web-filters/

Latest spam filter test shows spam catch rates have bounced back

Spam catch rates improve, but performance on phishing lags behind that on other spam.
Spam catch rates improve, but performance on phishing lags behind that on other spam. Earlier this week we published the results of the 22nd VBSpam comparative spam filter test,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2012/11/latest-spam-filter-test-shows-spam-catch-rates-have-bounced-back/

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