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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September

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/09/

The youth of today...

Five Israeli teenagers have been charged in connection with writing and disseminating W32/Goner.
Five Israeli teenagers have been charged in connection with writing and disseminating W32/Goner. According to Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, five youngsters have been charged with… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/08/youth-today/

Bugs galore

Symantec's acquisition of SecurityFocus last month has unsettled a number of contributors to the BugTraq vulnerability list. So much so that they created a new one.
Symantec's acquisition of SecurityFocus last month has unsettled a number of contributors to the BugTraq vulnerability list. So much so that they created a new one. At the news of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/08/bugs-galore/

Retail Therapy

Symantec has been on a blow-out shopping spree...
Symantec has been on a blow-out shopping spree... Symantec has been on a blow-out shopping spree. Perhaps it was its purchase of Mountain Wave earlier this year that put the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/08/retail-therapy/

Third time unlucky

NAI's third attempt to re-acquire McAfee.com was scuppered yesterday when 96% of McAfee.com shareholders rejected NAI's latest exchange offer for McAfee.com shares.
NAI's third attempt to re-acquire McAfee.com was scuppered yesterday when 96% of McAfee.com shareholders rejected NAI's latest exchange offer for McAfee.com shares.NAI's third… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/08/third-time-unlucky/

August

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/08/

Erratum: Windows XP comparative review: McAfee VirusScan

After re-testing, McAfee's VirusScan product gains a VB 100% award.
After re-testing, McAfee's VirusScan product gains a VB 100% award. Unfortunately an error occurred in Virus Bulletin's Windows XP comparative review (see VB June 2002, p.21):… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/07/erratum-windows-xp-comparative-review-mcafee-virusscan/

July

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/07/

Crying wolf revisited

While one AV vendor comes in for a roasting, the others enjoy the rare taste of the moral high ground.
While one AV vendor comes in for a roasting, the others enjoy the rare taste of the moral high ground. Last month was Network Associates' turn to come in for a roasting over its… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/07/crying-wolf-revisited/

Quarter byte squaw?

Worryingly, many sysadmins seemed unaware both of the Apache 'chunked encoding' bug and of their systems' vulnerability...
Worryingly, many sysadmins seemed unaware both of the Apache 'chunked encoding' bug and of their systems' vulnerability... This month has seen the elevation of what was thought… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/07/quarter-byte-squaw/

Windows XP Professional comparative review

After re-testing, Panda Antivirus Platinum's on-access scanner product gains a VB 100% award.
After re-testing, Panda Antivirus Platinum's on-access scanner product gains a VB 100% award. Since the publication of the Windows XP comparative review in the June edition of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/06/windows-xp-professional-comparative-review/

Shakira cynicism

As reports begin to appear of the latest VBSWG variant climbing prevalence tables, VB has received a particularly relevant comment from sys-admin Scott Francis.
As reports begin to appear of the latest VBSWG variant climbing prevalence tables, VB has received a particularly relevant comment from sys-admin Scott Francis. As reports begin… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/06/shakira-cynicism/

As complex as Euler's formula

IT news website Slashdot's report of Simile's cross-platform capabilities was met with the usual host of ill-informed, biased and naïve comments from users of the site.
IT news website Slashdot's report of Simile's cross-platform capabilities was met with the usual host of ill-informed, biased and naïve comments from users of the site. IT news… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/06/complex-euler-s-formula/

June

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/06/

Outraged of Slovakia

Is there really any need to include virus samples in product tests? CNET seems to think it's not worth the bother.
Is there really any need to include virus samples in product tests? CNET seems to think it's not worth the bother. Recently VB received an email from an outraged user declaring… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/05/outraged-slovakia/

Closed source sauce

Microsoft has claimed that open source software threatens security - unlike proprietary software such as its own SQL Server, currently playing vector to a new worm.
Microsoft has claimed that open source software threatens security - unlike proprietary software such as its own SQL Server, currently playing vector to a new worm. Goliath of the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/05/closed-source-sauce/

May

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/05/

2002

Latest news from the anti-virus industry provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
NewsStocks, viruses and a disgruntled employee A systems administrator has been charged with attempting to manipulate a company's stock price by introducing a virus into its… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2002/

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