VB Blog

VB2017 paper: Nine circles of Cerber

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 15, 2017

Cerber is one of the major names in the world of ransomware, and last year, Check Point released a decryption service for the malware. Today, we publish a VB2017 paper by Check Point's Stanislav Skuratovich describing how the Cerber decryption tool worked; we have also uploaded the video of the presentation of this paper, by Or Eshed and Yaniv Balmas.

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Attack on Fox-IT shows how a DNS hijack can break multiple layers of security

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 14, 2017

Dutch security firm Fox-IT deserves praise for being open about an attack on its client network. There are some important lessons to be learned about DNS security from its post-mortem.

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Throwback Thursday: BGP - from route hijacking to RPKI: how vulnerable is the Internet?

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 14, 2017

For this week's Throwback Thursday, we look back at the video of a talk Level 3's Mike Benjamin gave at VB2016 in Denver, on BGP and BGP hijacks.

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Security Planner gives security advice based on your threat model

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 13, 2017

Citizen Lab's Security Planner helps you improve your online safety, based on the specific threats you are facing.

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VB2017 video: Spora: the saga continues a.k.a. how to ruin your research in a week

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 11, 2017

Today, we publish the video of the VB2017 presentation by Avast researcher Jakub Kroustek and his former colleague Előd Kironský, now at ESET, who told the story of Spora, one of of the most prominent ransomware families of 2017.

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VB2017 paper: Modern reconnaissance phase on APT – protection layer

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 7, 2017

During recent research, Cisco Talos researchers observed the ways in which APT actors are evolving and how a reconnaissance phase is included in the infection vector in order to protect valuable zero-day exploits or malware frameworks. At VB2017 in Madrid, two of those researchers, Paul Rascagneres and Warren Mercer, presented a paper detailing five case studies that demonstrate how the infection vector is evolving. Today we publish both Paul and Warren's paper and the recording of their presentation.

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VB2017 paper: Peering into spam botnets

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 1, 2017

At VB2017 in Madrid, CERT Poland researchers Maciej Kotowicz and Jarosław Jedynak presented a paper detailing their low-level analysis of five spam botnets. Today we publish their full paper.

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Throwback Thursday: Anti-malware testing undercover

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Nov 30, 2017

We look back at the VB2016 presentation by Righard Zwienenberg (ESET) and Luis Corrons (Panda Security), in which they discussed various issues relating to anti-malware testing.

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Virus Bulletin relaunches VB Security Jobs Market for both employers and job seekers

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Nov 30, 2017

As an independent body in the IT security industry, Virus Bulletin is in an ideal position to act as a global source of information both about jobs currently available in the field and about those candidates currently seeking to start or progress their career in the industry - which is why we have relaunched the VB Security Jobs Market.

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VB2017 paper: Offensive malware analysis: dissecting OSX/FruitFly.B via a custom C&C server

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Nov 29, 2017

At VB2017 in Madrid, macOS malware researcher Patrick Wardle presented the details of a specific piece of Mac malware, FruitFly, which he analysed through a custom C&C server - a technique that will also be of interest for researchers of malware on other platforms. Today we publish both Patrick's paper and the recording of his presentation.

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Search blog

UN to curb spam within two years

UN aims to bring spam under control by 2007.
UN aims to bring spam under control by 2007. Representatives of the United Nation's International Telecommunications Union (ITU) meeting in Geneva this week as part of the World… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/07/un-curb-spam-within-two-years/

International pact to fight spam

Countries join forces to declare war on spam.
Countries join forces to declare war on spam. Representatives from the US, the UK and Australia have signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding' (MoU) on spam. The agreement was… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/07/international-pact-fight-spam/

Magold teen on probation

Hungarian virus writer convicted.
Hungarian virus writer convicted. A Hungarian teenager has been sentenced to two years' probation for creating the Magold virus. Earlier this week the Veszprem City Court… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/07/magold-teen-probation/

July

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/07/

Patent filed for voice spam blocking technology

Technology to stamp out Internet telephony spam.
Technology to stamp out Internet telephony spam. A patent application has been filed for a method to identify and block SPIT - spam over Internet telephony, or VoIP spam. SPIT, or… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/patent-filed-voice-spam-blocking-technology/

SMS spammer arrested

First Russian to be sentenced for sending spam.
First Russian to be sentenced for sending spam. Russian student Dmitry Anosov made history last month when he became the first Russian to be sentenced for sending spam - even… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/sms-spammer-arrested/

7 steps to a spam-free existence?

Anti-virus and security related articles provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
"Stunning" survey results lead to seven-step guide. Email security firm Vircom has issued a seven-step guide to avoiding spam, after its six-month study revealed (shock, horror)… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/7-steps-spam-free-existence/

Gates urges users to turn on auto-update

Microsoft chief says users must play their part in cutting down virus combat time.
Microsoft chief says users must play their part in cutting down virus combat time. Microsoft chief Bill Gates has pledged that the time taken for Microsoft to patch… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/gates-urges-users-turn-auto-update/

Microsoft issues advice about critical vulnerability

Apply your patches and update your AV software.
Apply your patches and update your AV software. Microsoft has issued advice on what you should know about Download.Ject The Trojan downloader, also known as JS/Scob.A and Toofer,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/microsoft-issues-advice-about-critical-vulnerability/

AOL victim of inside spam job

AOL employee arrested.
AOL employee arrested. An AOL employee has been arrested and charged with selling the company's customer email list to spammers. 24-year-old AOL engineer Jason Smathers is accused… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/aol-victim-inside-spam-job/

ISPs take responsibility

The six major ISPs of the Anti-Spam Technical Alliance say spam cannot be stopped unless they take action.
The six major ISPs of the Anti-Spam Technical Alliance say spam cannot be stopped unless they take action. Six major Internet Service Providers have put forward a joint proposal… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/isps-take-responsibility/

Microsoft to buy NAI?

Rumours abound. NAI CEO denies them.
Rumours abound. NAI CEO denies them. Tech news website CRN reports that AV vendor Network Associates is up for sale, and that Microsoft is the likely lucky new owner. Although no… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/microsoft-buy-nai/

Obituary: Marek Sell

On 12 June 2004 Marek Sell, creator of the Polish MkS_Vir anti-virus, died. Aleksander Czarnowksi looks back.
On 12 June 2004 Marek Sell, creator of the Polish MkS_Vir anti-virus, died. Aleksander Czarnowksi looks back. I met Marek somewhere around 1990, two years after he released the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/obituary-marek-sell/

AV going mobile

Mobile providers clamour to become the first to offer AV protection for mobile phones.
Mobile providers clamour to become the first to offer AV protection for mobile phones. Following the appearance of SymbOS/Cabir.A, the first virus capable of spreading via mobile… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/av-going-mobile/

Sasser author jobseeking

Gis' a job! Name: Sven Jaschan. Age: 18. Previous work experience: creating and distributing Internet worm(s).
Gis' a job! Name: Sven Jaschan. Age: 18. Previous work experience: creating and distributing Internet worm(s). The lawyer representing Sven Jaschan, self-confessed author of the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/sasser-author-jobseeking/

Microsoft AV still on track

Not forgotten...
Not forgotten... Microsoft is still on track to offer its own anti-virus product, according to the chief of its security business unit. It has been a year since Microsoft… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/microsoft-av-still-track/

FTC says no to 'Do Not Spam'

A 'Do Not Spam' list could actually increase spam levels, says FTC.
A 'Do Not Spam' list could actually increase spam levels, says FTC. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has told Congress that a national 'Do Not Spam' registry is not appropriate… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/ftc-says-no-do-not-spam/

Virus calling

First mobile phone worm discovered.
First mobile phone worm discovered. The first worm to be capable of spreading via mobile phones has been discovered. The initial announcement of the proof-of-concept worm was… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/virus-calling/

More spammers sued

Microsoft throws its weight around against spammers
Microsoft throws its weight around against spammers Microsoft has filed eight new lawsuits against spammers. All of the suits allege spoofing and falsifying of domain names.… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/more-spammers-sued/

Virus cost MOD £10 million

Ministry of Defence reveals Lovgate found a weakness in its defences
Ministry of Defence reveals Lovgate found a weakness in its defences According to Computer Weekly the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) has revealed that, last year, it spent £10m on… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2004/06/virus-cost-mod-10-million/

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