VB Blog

VB2017 video: Turning Trickbot: decoding an encrypted command-and-control channel

Posted by Martijn Grooten on Nov 3, 2017

Trickbot, a banking trojan which appeared this year, seems to be a new, more modular, and more extensible malware descendant of the notorious Dyre botnet trojan. At VB2017, Symantec researcher Andrew Brandt presented a walkthrough of a typical Trickbot infection process, and its aftermath, as seen through the lens of a tool used to perform man-in-the-middle decryption. Today, we publish both Andrew's slides and the recording of his presentation.

Posted by Martijn Grooten on Nov 2, 2017

Today, we publish a short paper in which CERT Société Générale presents FAME, its open source malware analysis framework.

Posted by Martijn Grooten on Oct 31, 2017

Ebury and Mayhem, two families of Linux server malware, about which VB published papers back in 2014, are still active and have received recent updates.

Posted by Martijn Grooten on Oct 27, 2017

Crypton, a tool developed by F5 Networks researchers Julia Karpin and Anna Dorfman, aims to speed up the reverse engineering process by decrypting encrypted content found in a (malicious) binary. The researchers described the tool in a paper which they presented at VB2017 in Madrid. Today, we publish both the paper and the recording of their presentation.

Posted by Martijn Grooten on Oct 25, 2017

For many people, the threat of an abusive partner or ex-partner is very real - and the market for consumer spyware worryingly large. Today, we publish the recording of a presentation on the subject of consumer spyware given at VB2017 by The Daily Beast reporter Joseph Cox.

Posted by Martijn Grooten on Oct 23, 2017

At the VB2017 gala dinner, the fourth Péter Szőr Award was presented to Sophos researcher Gábor Szappanos for his paper "AKBuilder – the crowdsourced exploit kit".

Posted by Martijn Grooten on Oct 20, 2017

We publish the VB2017 paper and video by Kaspersky Lab researchers Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade and Costin Raiu, in which they look at fourth-party collection (spies spying on other spies' campaigns) and its implications for attribution.

Posted by Martijn Grooten on Oct 11, 2017

Virus Bulletin is a company - and a conference - with a mission: to further the research in and facilitate the fight against digital threats. To help us in this mission, we want to hear from those who didn't come to Madrid. What is your impression of the VB Conference? What did you think of this year's programme? And why couldn't you come to Madrid?

Posted by Martijn Grooten on Oct 10, 2017

Last week, we announced the full details of VB2018, which will take place 3-5 October 2018 at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Posted by Virus Bulletin on Oct 5, 2017

In a special guest blog post, VB2017 Silver sponsor Cisco Umbrella writes about a paper that researchers Dhia Mahjoub and David Rodriguez will present at the conference this Friday.

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Quick impressions from BSides Budapest

At Virus Bulletin, we love the BSides concept and we have attended several of the BSides events around the world. So when Peter Karsai, who is soon to join the VB team, offered to write about his experience at BSides Budapest, we jumped at the chance to p…
At Virus Bulletin, we love the BSides concept and we have attended several of the BSides events around the world. So when Peter Karsai, who is soon to join the VB team, offered to… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/03/quick-impressions-bsides-budapest/

March

https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/03/

First sponsors of VB2017 announced

We are excited to announce the first five sponsors of VB2017, companies based in Europe, Asia and North America.
We are proud of the fact that the Virus Bulletin Conference is one of the industry's most international security conferences, with speakers and attendees coming together from all… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/03/first-sponsors-vb2017-announced/

Security products and HTTPS: let's do it better

A recent paper showed that many HTTPS-intercepting security solutions have implemented TLS rather poorly. Does that mean we should avoid such solutions altogether?
It is one of the most hotly discussed topics in the security community: is it acceptable for a security product to intercept encrypted HTTP communication (HTTPS) to analyse its… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/security-products-and-https-lets-do-it-better/

The SHA-1 hashing algorithm has been 'shattered'

Researchers from Google and CWI Amsterdam have created the first known collision of the SHA-1 hashing algorithm, making a very strong case to ditch it.
Researchers from Google and CWI Amsterdam have created the first publicly known SHA-1 collision. SHA-1 is a hashing algorithm: it turns data of arbitrary size (such as a string… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/sha-1-hashing-algorithm-has-been-shattered/

Throwback Thursday: Once a researcher...

VB was saddened to learn this week of the passing of one of the pioneers of the AV industry, Ross Greenberg. This Throwback Thursday we look back at an interview with Ross in November 1995.
VB was saddened to learn this week of the passing of one of the pioneers of the AV industry, Ross M. Greenberg. Ross Greenberg, author of Flushot, Virex PC, and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/throwback-thursday-once-researcher/

VB2017: What is happening in the threat landscape and what are we doing against it? Submit a proposal in the VB2017 CFP!

Have you analysed a new online threat? Do you know a new way to defend against such threats? Then submit an abstract in the CFP for VB2017!
There are four weeks (minus one day) until the Call for Papers for VB2017 closes. The Virus Bulletin International Conference is one of the longest running and most prestigious… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/vb2017-what-happening-and-what-are-we-doing-against-it-submit-now-cfp/

VB2016 paper: APT reports and OPSEC evolution, or: these are not the APT reports you are looking for

APT reports are great for gaining an understanding of how advanced attack groups operate - however, they can also provide free QA for the threat actors. Today, we publish a VB2016 paper by Gadi Evron (Cymmetria) and Inbar Raz (Perimeter X), who discuss wh…
Ever since Mandiant released its APT1 report four years ago, reports on advanced attack groups have been an important fixture in the security industry. These reports are great for… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/vb2016-paper-apt-reports-and-opsec-evolution-or-these-are-not-apt-reports-you-are-looking/

Security for your ears: recommended infosec podcasts

Industry veteran Mikko Hyppönen recently urged would-be security researchers to ditch their favourite pop music and listen to security podcasts on their commute to work instead. Virus Bulletin Editor Martijn Grooten shares his favourite security podcasts.
"Don't waste your commute listening to pop music. Listen to infosec lectures and podcasts." Industry veteran Mikko Hyppönen recently shared some useful advice for those wanting to… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/security-podcasts-worth-listening/

VB2016 video: Getting duped: piggybacking on webcam streams for surreptitious recordings

In a presentation at VB2016, Patrick Wardle, Director of Research at Synack, discussed the possibilities of Mac malware recording the user via the webcam. Today, we publish the video of Patrick's presentation.
If you are going to be at RSA in San Francisco next week, we highly recommend you attend Patrick Wardle's talk on OS X malware in 2016 – not just because it is important for Mac… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/vb2016-video-last-minute-paper-getting-duped-piggybacking-webcam-streams-surreptitious-recordings/

We shouldn't forget those most vulnerable in our digital world

Virus Bulletin Editor Martijn Grooten calls for the security community not to forget those most vulnerable in the digital world, including political activists living under oppressive regimes, and victims of abuse.
The new UK government has passed a far-reaching surveillance law. The new US government has stripped privacy rights from non-citizens. Surely, those who have warned about the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/we-shouldnt-forget-those-most-vulnerable-our-digital-world/

Throwback Thursday: A troubled world

In early 1991, the world was a troubled place and conflict and violence were being reported globally on a daily basis. With this as a backdrop, the world of "indiscriminate" computer viruses which "victimise in a random and unpredictable manner" seemed re…
In early 1991, the world was a troubled place – President George H. W. Bush had just announced the start of military Operation Desert Storm and conflict and violence were being… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/throwback-thursday-troubled-world/

February

https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/

VB2016 video: Nymaim: the Untold Story

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-banki…
Every year, the Virus Bulletin conference programme includes a number of 'last-minute' papers: presentations on topics that are so hot, they are added to the programme only a few… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/02/vb2016-video-nymaim-untold-story/

The Living Dead Anti-Virus

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.
A former director of testing at AV-TEST and a one-time VB conference speaker, security consultant Hendrik Pilz is passionate about the quality of security products. In a guest… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/01/living-dead-anti-virus/

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

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.
While avoiding the use of Flash is good advice for helping to fend off exploit kits, some of the vulnerabilities exploited by these kits actually target the browsers themselves.… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/01/paper-journey-and-evolution-god-mode-2016-cve-2016-0189/

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

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.
Earlier this month, Spanish police officers arrested a Russian national on suspicion of creating the Neverquest banking trojan. Neverquest, also known as Vawtrak, is one of the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/01/vb2016-video-neverquest-crime-service-and-hunt-big-bucks/

VB2016 paper: Great crypto failures

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 …
"More malware is using cryptography, and more malware is using better cryptography," said Check Point researcher Yaniv Balmas on stage during VB2016. While the increased use of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/01/vb2016-paper-great-crypto-failures/

Call for Papers: VB2017

We have opened the Call for Papers for VB2017. We are particularly interested in receiving submissions from those working outside the security industry itself.
The call for papers for VB2017, which will take place 4-6 October in Madrid, Spain, is now open! Have you analysed a new malware campaign? Tracked an APT actor? Discovered a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/01/call-papers-vb2017/

Ransomware not a problem for half of businesses

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 …
If you are wondering why ransomware continues to thrive, a recent study from IBM Security provides a simple explanation: 70 per cent of the ransomware-infected businesses they… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2017/01/ransomware-not-problem-half-businesses/

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