VB Blog

VB2016 video: Nymaim: the Untold Story

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 8, 2017

Until very recently, the Nymaim banking trojan was a serious problem in Poland. Today, we publish the video of the VB2016 presentation by CERT Polska researchers Jarosław Jedynak and Maciej Kotowicz, in which they analyse this malware-dropper-turned-banking-trojan.

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The Living Dead Anti-Virus

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Feb 2, 2017

Should users uninstall their anti-virus products, as was recently suggested by a security expert in a widely shared article? In a guest post, security consultant Hendrik Pilz explains why he doesn't think this is a good idea.

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Paper: The journey and evolution of God Mode in 2016: CVE-2016-0189

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 31, 2017

In a new paper published by Virus Bulletin, FireEye researchers Ankit Anubhav and Manish Sardiwal analyse the 'God Mode' vulnerability CVE-2016-0189 in Microsoft Internet Explorer.

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VB2016 video: Neverquest: Crime as a Service and On the Hunt for the Big Bucks

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 30, 2017

At VB2016, Peter Kruse gave a presentation detailing the Neverquest trojan, the alleged author of which was arrested in Spain earlier this month. Today, we publish the recording of Peter's presentation.

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VB2016 paper: Great crypto failures

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 24, 2017

Crypto is hard, and malware authors often make mistakes. At VB2016, Check Point researchers Yaniv Balmas and Ben Herzog discussed the whys and hows of some of the crypto blunders made by malware authors. Today, we publish their paper and the recording of their presentation.

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Call for Papers: VB2017

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 19, 2017

We have opened the Call for Papers for VB2017. We are particularly interested in receiving submissions from those working outside the security industry itself.

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Ransomware not a problem for half of businesses

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 11, 2017

According to a report by IBM Security, 70 per cent of businesses that are the victim of a ransomware attack end up paying the ransom. However, the report also suggests that a little over half of businesses manage to avoid getting infected at all, showing they must be doing something right.

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Ransomware would be much worse if it wasn't for email security solutions

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 5, 2017

The latest VBSpam test brings good news: at least 199 out of every 200 emails containing a malicious attachment were blocked by email security solutions. All of the full solutions tested achieved a VBSpam award, with five earning a VBSpam+ award.

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Throwback Thursday: The malware battle: reflections and forecasts

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Jan 5, 2017

"Another year has come to its end and the malware battle still rages on." In January 2004, Jamz Yaneza reflected on the year just ended and pondered what the coming year would have in store for the AV industry.

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VB2016 paper: Open Source Malware Lab

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 4, 2017

At VB2016, ThreatConnect Director of Research Innovation Robert Simmons presented a paper on setting up an open source malware lab. Today, we share the accompanying paper and video.

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Search blog

Errata: February 2005 Windows NT comparative review

VB regrets that two mistakes crept into the comparative review published in the February 2005 issue.
VB regrets that two mistakes crept into the comparative review published in the February 2005 issue. Virus Bulletin regrets that the Windows NT Workstation comparative review… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/errata-february-2005-windows-nt-comparative-review/

Microsoft one step closer to AV

The latest developments on Microsoft's new anti-virus venture.
The latest developments on Microsoft's new anti-virus venture. The news that set industry analysts chattering (and doom-sayers prophesying) last month was Microsoft’s acquisition… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/microsoft-one-step-closer-av/

March

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/03/

MSNBC's spam boob

News channel sends spam message as 'breaking news'
News channel sends spam message as 'breaking news' MSNBC.com, the online news service run by Microsoft and NBC News, was forced to make a red-faced apology this week, after… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/msnbc-s-spam-boob/

Virus alerts for UK computer users

Government launches IT security website
Government launches IT security website The UK government has launched a new service aimed at providing home users and small businesses with advice on how to protect their… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/virus-alerts-uk-computer-users/

US spammers arrested

Airport arrest for 18-year-old spammer, and felony charge for SMS election spammer
Airport arrest for 18-year-old spammer, and felony charge for SMS election spammer An 18-year-old New Yorker is under investigation this week for sending more than one million… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/us-spammers-arrested/

Phish Report Network announced

Microsoft, eBay, PayPal and Visa join forces
Microsoft, eBay, PayPal and Visa join forces Microsoft, eBay, PayPal and Visa have joined forces to form what is described as the internet's first global anti-phishing… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/phish-report-network-announced/

Microsoft and Pfizer join forces to slam spam

Two giants unite in the courtroom
Two giants unite in the courtroom Microsoft and Pfizer, the world's largest pharmaceutical company, have joined forces in an effort to crack down on drug-related spam. The two… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/microsoft-and-pfizer-join-forces-slam-spam/

Latest VGrep

The latest version of the virus name lookup tool - VGrep, is now available.
The latest version of the virus name lookup tool - VGrep, is now available. VGrep is a system produced in an attempt to clear up some of the confusion surrounding the naming of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/latest-vgrep/

Microsoft acquires Sybari

Microsoft announces another AV acquisition
Microsoft announces another AV acquisition Microsoft has announced that it has signed definitive agreements to acquire AV and security provider Sybari Software Inc. Microsoft… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/microsoft-acquires-sybari/

University of Calgary teaches spam

Learnt how to create viruses? Now learn how to create spam and spyware
Learnt how to create viruses? Now learn how to create spam and spyware Students at the University of Calgary will soon be learning how to write spam and spyware programs as part… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/university-calgary-teaches-spam/

India to curb SMS spam

Supreme Court urges government to crack down on mobile spam
Supreme Court urges government to crack down on mobile spam The Supreme Court of India has urged the Indian government to introduce legal measures to crack down on unsolicited… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/india-curb-sms-spam/

New Zealand to curb spam

Anti-spam codes of conduct for SMS and email
Anti-spam codes of conduct for SMS and email New Zealand's Telecommunications Carriers Forum (TCF) has signed an SMS anti-spam code of conduct, and is due to sign a similar code… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/new-zealand-curb-spam/

No soft touch for legitimate companies

FTC representative warns legitimate marketers it will go after them too if they don't comply with CAN SPAM regulations
FTC representative warns legitimate marketers it will go after them too if they don't comply with CAN SPAM regulations The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned that it… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/no-soft-touch-legitimate-companies/

German spammers to get hefty fine

New legislation proposes fines to deter would-be spammers
New legislation proposes fines to deter would-be spammers Although it has been illegal to send spam in Germany since July 2004, a new anti-spam law is being proposed by the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/german-spammers-get-hefty-fine/

Grannies grabbing the initiative

Study reveals older people and women most likely to take charge of protecting their computer systems
Study reveals older people and women most likely to take charge of protecting their computer systems A study by UK managed security firm Preventon has indicated that retired… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/grannies-grabbing-initiative/

Tsunami unlocks floodgates for opportunists

An inevitable string of tsunami related hoaxes, fraud attempts and new malware variants
An inevitable string of tsunami related hoaxes, fraud attempts and new malware variants As most of the world was still reeling from the news and pictures of devastation in Asia… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/tsunami-unlocks-floodgates-opportunists/

Call for papers: VB2005 Dublin

The deadline for submission of abstracts for VB2005 is approaching rapidly. All submissions must be received by 10 March 2005.
The deadline for submission of abstracts for VB2005 is approaching rapidly. All submissions must be received by 10 March 2005. VB2005, the Fifteenth Virus Bulletin International… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/call-papers-dublin/

February

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/02/

Minimum sentence for Blaster author

Jeffrey Lee Parson let off lightly
Jeffrey Lee Parson let off lightly Jeffrey Lee Parson, the Minnesota teenager who pleaded guilty to distributing the B variant of the Blaster worm, has been sentenced to 18… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2005/01/minimum-sentence-blaster-author/

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