VB Blog

Malicious CCleaner update points to a major weakness in our infrastructure

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Sep 18, 2017

Researchers from Cisco Talos have found that a recent version of the widely used CCleaner tool installed malware on the machine.

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Despite the profitability of ransomware there is a good reason why mining malware is thriving

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Sep 15, 2017

Though ransomware is far more profitable than using a compromised PC to mine bitcoins, the global distribution of malware means that there are many botnets for which mining is the most efficient way to extract money out of a PC.

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VB2017 preview: Crypton - exposing malware's deepest secrets

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Sep 14, 2017

We preview the VB2017 paper by Julia Karpin and Anna Dorfman (F5 networks), in which they present a tool to decrypt encrypted parts of malware.

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VB2017 preview: Hacktivism and website defacement: motivations, capabilities and potential threats

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Sep 13, 2017

We preview the VB2017 paper by Marco Romagna and Niek Jan van den Hout (The Hague University of Applied Sciences), in which they thoroughly analyse the motivations and modus operandy of hacktivists.

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Three questions to ask about security product bypasses

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Sep 13, 2017

Proof-of-concepts for bypasses of security products always sound scary, but how seriously should we take them? VB Editor Martijn Grooten lists three questions one should ask about any such bypass to determine how serious a threat it represents.

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VB2017: WHOIS and EICAR Small Talks added

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Sep 12, 2017

Today, we announce two more 'Small Talks' for the VB2017 programme. In one of them, Neil Schwarzman will discuss the consequences of the GDPR for WHOIS and abuse research, while the other will be hosted by three members of EICAR, who will discuss its work on a trustworthiness strategy and minimum standard.

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VB2017: nine last-minute papers announced

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Sep 11, 2017

From attacks on Ukraine's power grid to web shells, and from car hacking to ransomware: we announce the first nine 'last-minute' papers on the VB2017 programme.

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Patching is important even when it only shows the maturity of your security process

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Sep 5, 2017

A lot of vulnerabilities that are discovered are never exploited in the wild. It is still important to patch them though.

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Massive data breach confirms what you already knew: you are getting spam

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Sep 4, 2017

A security researcher found more than 700 million email addresses stored on a server used by a spam botnet, which gives us some insight into what the email lists used by spammers look like.

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VB2017 preview: State of cybersecurity in Africa: Kenya

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Sep 4, 2017

We preview the VB2017 presentation by Tyrus Kamau (Euclid Security), who will talk about the state of cybersecurity in Africa, with a particular focus on his home country, Kenya.

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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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