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VB2019 presentation: Attor: spy platform with curious GSM fingerprinting

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Feb 11, 2020

Attor is a newly discovered cyber-espionage platform, use of which dates back to at least 2014 and which focuses on diplomatic missions and governmental institutions. Details of Attor were presented at VB2019 in London by ESET researcher Zuzana Hromcová. Today we release the recording of Zuzana's presentation.

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Why we encourage newcomers and seasoned presenters alike to submit a paper for VB2020

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Feb 6, 2020

With the call for papers for VB2020 currently open, we explain why, whether you've never presented before or you're a conference circuit veteran, if you have some interesting research to share with the community we want to hear from you!

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VB2019 paper: The cake is a lie! Uncovering the secret world of malware-like cheats in video games

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Feb 5, 2020

At VB2019 in London, Kaspersky researcher Santiago Pontiroli presented a paper on the growing illegal economy around video game cheats and its parallels with the malware industry. Today we publish both Santiago's paper and the recording of his presentation.

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VB2019 paper: Rich headers: leveraging the mysterious artifact of the PE format

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Jan 31, 2020

In a paper presented at VB2019 in London, ESET researchers Peter Kálnai and Michal Poslušný discussed the subject of rich headers and how it can be useful in malware research. Today we publish both their paper and the recording of their presentation.

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VB2019 paper: Medical IoT for diabetes and cybercrime

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Jan 28, 2020

At VB2019 in London, Fortinet researcher Axelle Apvrille presented a paper co-written with Aamir Lakhani that looked at the threats faced by those who use medical IoT devices to help manage their diabetes. Today we publish the researchers' paper, as well as the recording of Axelle's presentation.

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VB2019 paper: Spoofing in the reeds with Rietspoof

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Jan 24, 2020

In a VB2019 paper Avast researchers Jan Sirmer, Luigino Camastra and Adolf Středa revealed full details of the Rietspoof malware. Today we publish their paper and the recording of the presentation given by Jan and Luigino in London.

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New paper: Behind the scenes of GandCrab's operation

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Jan 20, 2020

The GandCrab ransomware regularly updated itself to newer versions to stay ahead of decryptors released by security researchers, and regularly included taunts, jokes and references to security organizations in its code. In a new paper, the AhnLab Security Analysis Team reveal the full details of the battle that went on between GandCrab and AhnLab.

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VB2019 paper: King of the hill: nation-state counterintelligence for victim deconfliction

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Jan 16, 2020

At VB2019 Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade looked at nation-state actors using threat intelligence for victim deconfliction. Today we publish both his paper and the recording of his presentation.

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The VB2020 call for papers - how it works

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Jan 14, 2020

With the VB2020 Call for Papers now open, we explain how the selection procedure works, which may help you during your abstract submission.

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VB2019 presentation: Targeted attacks through ISPs

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Jan 13, 2020

In 2019 we saw a rise in the number of targeted malware infections spread via ISPs and service providers. In a last-minute paper presented at VB2019 in London, Kaspersky researcher Denis Legezo discussed the details of a number of such cases. Today we release the recording of Denis' presentation.

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October

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/10/

VB2015 'Steganoprague' competition

Use your steganography-detection skills and win a pile of books.
Use your steganography-detection skills and win a pile of books. As VB2015 is about to begin, we announce the second part of the 'Steganoprague' competition. In this part, you will… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/09/steganoprague-competition/

Throwback Thursday: The First International Virus Bulletin Conference

This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to October 1991 to take a look back at the first ever VB Conference: VB'91 in Jersey.
This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to October 1991 to take a look back at the first ever VB Conference: VB'91 in Jersey. With VB2015, the 25th Virus Bulletin… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/09/throwback-thursday-first-international-conference/

Researchers seek ransomware samples for their generic solution

VB2015 presentation to include demonstration of technique against recent samples.
VB2015 presentation to include demonstration of technique against recent samples. 'The scary hack that's on the rise' is how Wired's Kim Zetter described ransomware in an overview… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/09/researchers-seek-ransomware-samples-their-generic-solution/

Throwback Thursday: Virus Writer and Distributors 'Attributable Viruses'

This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to July 1990, when VB looked at virus origins and some of the rare cases of attributable viruses.
This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to July 1990, when VB looked at virus origins and some of the rare cases of attributable viruses. This week saw the confession of a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/09/throwback-thursday-virus-writer-and-distributors-attributable-viruses/

VB2015 last-minute papers announced

Ten talks covering hot research added to the VB2015 programme.
Ten talks covering hot research added to the VB2015 programme. There are just over two weeks to go until more than 400 security professionals descend on Prague for VB2015, the 25th… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/09/last-minute-papers-announced/

Paper: Custom packer defeats multiple automation systems

Combination of anti-automation, anti-VM and anti-reverse engineering to make researchers' lives harder.
Combination of anti-automation, anti-VM and anti-reverse engineering to make researchers' lives harder. Ever since the number of new malware samples became so large we could no… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/09/paper-custom-packer-defeats-multiple-automation-systems/

Throwback Thursday: Computer Viruses: Electronically Transmitted Disease?

This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to March 2003, when VB reported on a piece of research investigating the psychological toll inflicted by computer viruses.
This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to March 2003, when VB reported on a piece of research investigating the psychological toll inflicted by computer viruses. One could… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/09/throwback-thursday-computer-viruses-electronically-transmitted-disease/

September

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/09/

VB2015: some important information

Last-minute papers, steganography competition and foosball tournament.
Last-minute papers, steganography competition and foosball tournament. We're just a little over a month away from the beginning of VB2015, the 25th Virus Bulletin International… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/some-important-information/

Throwback Thursday: Safe Hex in the 21st Century

This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to July 2000, when we were already being warned that virus scanners were no longer enough.
This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to July 2000, when we were already being warned that virus scanners were no longer enough. How many times have we heard commentators… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/throwback-thursday-safe-hex-21st-century/

Paper: Not a GAMe maKER

Raul Alvarez performs low-level analysis of information-stealing trojan.
Raul Alvarez performs low-level analysis of information-stealing trojan. The Gamker information-stealing trojan (also known as Shiz) has been around for a few years. It made the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/paper-not-game-maker/

VB2015 preview: advanced persistent threats

Several conference papers to deal with targeted attacks.
Several conference papers to deal with targeted attacks. There was a time when analyses of malware and viruses at the Virus Bulletin conference used the number of infections as a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/preview-advanced-persistent-threats/

Throwback Thursday: The Virus Analyst Headache

This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to April 1999, when the average virus analyst had to manually process around ten or more viruses per day, and the growing complexity and volume of viruses was proving a headache.
This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to April 1999, when the average virus analyst had to manually process around ten or more viruses per day, and the growing complexity… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/throwback-thursday-virus-analyst-headache/

Back to the future: anti-virus engines and sandboxes

Szilard Stange makes the case for multi-engine malware scanning.
Szilard Stange makes the case for multi-engine malware scanning.The VB2015 conference takes place next month (30 September to 2 October) in Prague, with an exciting programme that… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/back-future-anti-virus-engines-and-sandboxes/

Catch rates bounce back in latest spam filter test

Products defy prediction of tougher circumstances.
Products defy prediction of tougher circumstances. When spam levels were recently reported to have dropped below 50% for the first time in 12 years, I wrote that it was 'not… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/catch-rates-bounce-back-latest-spam-filter-test/

Paper: Life after the apocalypse for the Middle Eastern NJRat campaign

Malware authors upped their game following 2014 disruption of No-IP.
Malware authors upped their game following 2014 disruption of No-IP. In June last year, somewhat controversially Microsoft moved against dynamic DNS provider No-IP and seized 22 of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/paper-life-after-apocalypse-middle-eastern-njrat-campaign/

Throwback Thursday: IT Security Breaches: The 1994 NCC Survey

This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to November 1994, when VB asked: what is the nature of the real virus problem, and how much does it cost?
This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to November 1994, when VB asked: what is the nature of the real virus problem, and how much does it cost? Year after year, we see… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/throwback-thursday-it-security-breaches-1994-ncc-survey/

VB2015 preview: the Internet of Things

Experts to cover various aspects of IoT (in)security in a range of talks.
Experts to cover various aspects of IoT (in)security in a range of talks. As a reader of this blog, and hopefully as someone who will attend VB2015, you don't need to be told that… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/preview-internet-things/

File-stealing vulnerability found in Firefox PDF reader

Both Windows and Linux users actively being targeted.
Both Windows and Linux users actively being targeted. If, like me, you are suffering from vulnerability fatigue after so many flaws and weaknesses having been disclosed in Las… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/08/file-stealing-vulnerability-found-firefox-pdf-reader/

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