VB Blog

VB2018 paper: Little Brother is watching – we know all your secrets!

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 1, 2019

At VB2018 in Montreal, researchers from Fraunhofer SIT looked at privacy vulnerabilities in legitimate Android family-tracking apps that leaked location data. Today, we publish both their paper and the video of their presentation.

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Threat intelligence teams should consider recruiting journalists

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 29, 2019

Threat intelligence teams would do well to recruit journalists, whose experience is crucial in today's threat landscape.

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From HSBC to product descriptions: the malicious emails bypassing your filters

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 28, 2019

Using data from our VBSpam lab, we looked at the malicious emails that have been missed recently by a large number of email security products.

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VB2018 paper: Inside Formbook infostealer

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 25, 2019

The Formbook information-stealing trojan may not be APT-grade malware, but its continuing spread means it can still be effective. At VB2018 in Montreal, Gabriela Nicolao, a researcher from Deloitte in Argentina, presented a short paper in which she looked at Formbook's background and history and analysed a sample of the malware. Today, we publish Gabriela's paper.

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The VB2019 CFP - how the selection procedure works

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 24, 2019

With the VB2019 Call for Papers having opened last week, we explain how the selection procedure works, which may help you during your abstract submission.

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VB2018 paper: From Hacking Team to hacked team to…?

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 18, 2019

Today we publish the VB2018 paper and video by ESET researcher Filip Kafka, who looked at the new malware by Hacking Team, after the company had recovered from the 2015 breach.

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The spam that is hardest to block is often the most damaging

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 17, 2019

We see a lot of spam in the VBSpam test lab, and we also see how well such emails are being blocked by email security products. Worryingly, it is often the emails with a malicious attachment or a phishing link that are most likely to be missed.

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Throwback Thursday: We're all doomed

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Jan 17, 2019

Mydoom turns 15 this month, and is still being seen in email attachments. This Throwback Thursday we look back to March 2004, when Gabor Szappanos tracked the rise of W32/Mydoom.

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VB2019 call for papers - now open!

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 15, 2019

Have you analysed a new online threat? Do you know a new way to defend against such threats? Are you tasked with securing systems and fending off attacks? The call for papers for VB2019 is now open and we want to hear from you!

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VB2018 paper: Unpacking the packed unpacker: reversing an Android anti-analysis library

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 14, 2019

Today, we publish a VB2018 paper by Google researcher Maddie Stone in which she looks at one of the most interesting anti-analysis native libraries in the Android ecosystem. We also release the recording of Maddie's presentation.

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Search blog

Settlement reached in FTC vs Fuel MAX case

FTC settles a case against spammers peddling 'fuel-saving' product
FTC settles a case against spammers peddling 'fuel-saving' product A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit filed by the FTC against the marketers and resellers of bogus… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/05/settlement-reached-ftc-vs-fuel-max-case/

May

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/05/

Three (days) is the magic number

Virus Bulletin is very pleased to announce that this year the VB conference will run in a three-day format
Virus Bulletin is very pleased to announce that this year the VB conference will run in a three-day format Virus Bulletin is very pleased to announce that this year the VB… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/04/three-days-magic-number/

US early warning centre opens

Cyber Incident Detection Data Analysis Center announces the opening of its National Operations Center at the University of Pennsylvania.
Cyber Incident Detection Data Analysis Center announces the opening of its National Operations Center at the University of Pennsylvania. The Cyber Incident Detection Data Analysis… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/04/us-early-warning-centre-opens/

UN discusses spam

The United Nations (UN) Working Group on Internet Governance focuses on spam, network security and cybercrime
The United Nations (UN) Working Group on Internet Governance focuses on spam, network security and cybercrime The United Nations (UN) has revealed that discussion at the third… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/04/un-discusses-spam/

2.594.00 is not the magic number

Trend Micro forced to apologise to customers for faulty update file.
Trend Micro forced to apologise to customers for faulty update file. A red-faced Trend Micro has apologised to its customers for the release of a faulty update file that caused… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/04/2-594-00-not-magic-number/

Symantec wins piracy case

AV firm awarded $3.1 million in case against software pirate
AV firm awarded $3.1 million in case against software pirate Symantec has been awarded a $3.1 million judgment in a software piracy lawsuit it filed in April last year. Symantec… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/04/symantec-wins-piracy-case/

Car sales website fined for SMS spamming

Australian Communications Authority takes action
Australian Communications Authority takes action A popular Australian car sales website has been fined AU$6,600 for sending SMS spam. Classified car sales website Carsales.com.au… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/04/car-sales-website-fined-sms-spamming/

April

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/04/

No new owner for VMyths

Zero bids received in online auction of website
Zero bids received in online auction of website Industry hype-fighting website VMyths went up for auction on eBay this month, but no bids were received. For ten years VMyths has… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/no-new-owner-vmyths/

Bankruptcy for Spam King

Microsoft lawsuit cited as reason for bankruptcy
Microsoft lawsuit cited as reason for bankruptcy High-profile email marketer Scott Richter, aka the 'Spam King', has filed for bankruptcy, citing a Microsoft lawsuit as the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/bankruptcy-spam-king/

Blaster author avoids restitution

Microsoft allows Parson to work community service instead of paying $500,000
Microsoft allows Parson to work community service instead of paying $500,000 Microsoft has filed court documents requesting that Jeffrey Lee Parson, author of the B variant of the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/blaster-author-avoids-restitution/

Mac virus-writing competition cancelled

Offer of $25,000 reward for OS X virus is withdrawn - for legal reasons
Offer of $25,000 reward for OS X virus is withdrawn - for legal reasons A competition offering a $25,000 reward to the first person to successfully infect two Apple G5 PowerMacs… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/mac-virus-writing-competition-cancelled/

Spammer investigated in the Ukraine

Spammer undergoes criminal investigation in the Donetsk region of the Ukraine
Spammer undergoes criminal investigation in the Donetsk region of the Ukraine A spammer is undergoing criminal investigation in the Donetsk region of the Ukraine. This is the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/spammer-investigated-ukraine/

US Anti-Spyware bill approved

A revised anti-spyware bill was approved by a committee in the US House of Representatives.
A revised anti-spyware bill was approved by a committee in the US House of Representatives. A revised anti-spyware bill was approved by a committee in the US House of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/us-anti-spyware-bill-approved/

Man sentenced for 911 Trojan

Louisiana man gets six months behind bars
Louisiana man gets six months behind bars A Louisiana man has been sentenced to six months imprisonment and ordered to pay Microsoft more than $27,000 after he admitted sending a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/man-sentenced-911-trojan/

Spyware bill approved

House of Representatives approves revised anti-spyware legislation
House of Representatives approves revised anti-spyware legislation Posted on 14 March 2005 by Virus Bulletin https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/spyware-bill-approved/

Multimedia messaging virus

Mobile phone virus replicates via MMS
Mobile phone virus replicates via MMS Researchers have reported a mobile phone virus that appears to be the first virus to replicate via MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/multimedia-messaging-virus/

Spam conviction dismissed

Judge overturns conviction in US spam case
Judge overturns conviction in US spam case A US Judge has overturned a conviction in one of last year's high profile anti-spam cases. Judge Thomas D. Horne has ruled that there… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/spam-conviction-dismissed/

Symantec gains AV patent

AV company awarded patent for scanning technology
AV company awarded patent for scanning technology Symantec has been granted a patent for 'Data driven detection of viruses' - a method that has been used in Symantec's products… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/symantec-gains-av-patent/

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