VB Blog

VB2019 paper: Defeating APT10 compiler-level obfuscations

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Mar 13, 2020

At VB2019 in London, Carbon Black researcher Takahiro Haruyama presented a paper on defeating compiler-level obfuscations used by the APT10 group. Today we publish both Takahiro's paper and the recording of his presentation.

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VB2019 paper: Attribution is in the object: using RTF object dimensions to track APT phishing weaponizers

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Mar 12, 2020

At VB2019 in London Michael Raggi (Proofpoint) and Ghareeb Saad (Anomali) presented a paper on the 'Royal Road' exploit builder (or weaponizer) and how the properties of RTF files can be used to track weaponizers and their users. Today we publish both their paper and the recording of their presentation.

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VB2019 presentation: Nexus between OT and IT threat intelligence

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Mar 11, 2020

Operational technology, the mission critical IT in ICS, shares many similarities with traditional IT systems, but also some crucial differences. During the Threat Intelligence Practitioners’ Summit at VB2019, Dragos cyber threat intelligence analyst Selena Larson gave a keynote on these similarities and differences. Today we release the recording of her presentation.

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VB2019 paper: Kimsuky group: tracking the king of the spear-phishing

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Mar 10, 2020

In a paper presented at VB2019 in London, researchers fron the Financial Security Institute detailed the tools and activities used by the APT group 'Kimsuky', some of which they were able to analyse through OpSec failures by the group. Today, we publish their paper.

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VB2019 paper: Play fuzzing machine - hunting iOS and macOS kernel vulnerabilities automatically and smartly

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Mar 9, 2020

In a paper presented at VB2019 in London, Trend Micro researchers Lilang Wu and Moony Li explained how the hunt for vulnerabilities in MacOS and iOS operating systems can be made both smarter and more automatic. Today we publish both their paper and the recording of their presentation.

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VB2019 paper: Finding drive-by rookies using an automated active observation platform

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Mar 6, 2020

In a last-minute paper presented at VB2019 in London, Rintaro Koike (NTT Security) and Yosuke Chubachi (Active Defense Institute, Ltd) discussed the platform they have built to automatically detect and analyse exploit kits. Today we publish the recording of their presentation.

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VB2019 paper: Pulling the PKPLUG: the adversary playbook for the long-standing espionage activity of a Chinese nation state adversary

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Feb 28, 2020

The activities of China-based threat actor PKPLUG were detailed in a VB2019 paper by Palo Alto Networks researcher Alex Hinchliffe, who described the playbook of this long-standing adversary. Today we publish both Alex's paper and the recording of his presentation.

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VB2019 paper: Static analysis methods for detection of Microsoft Office exploits

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Feb 25, 2020

Today we publish the VB2019 paper and presentation by McAfee researcher Chintan Shah in which he described static analysis methods for the detection of Microsoft Office exploits.

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New paper: LokiBot: dissecting the C&C panel deployments

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Feb 17, 2020

First advertised as an information stealer and keylogger when it appeared in underground forums in 2015, LokiBot has added various capabilities over the years and has affected many users worldwide. In a new paper researcher Aditya Sood analyses the URL structure of the LokiBot C&C panels and how they have evolved over time.

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VB2019 presentation: Building secure sharing systems that treat humans as features not bugs

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Feb 14, 2020

In a presentation at VB2019 in London, Virtru's Andrea Limbago described how, by exploring data sharing challenges through a socio-technical lens, it is possible to make significant gains toward the secure sharing systems and processes that are vital for innovation and collaboration. Today we release the recording of her presentation.

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Throwback Thursday: KAOS on the Superhighway?

This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to 1994, when KAOS4 was discovered on the Internet.
This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to 1994, when KAOS4 was discovered on the Internet. A new virus has been found on the Internet — today, this is an unfortunate fact… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/throwback-thursday-kaos-superhighway/

Paper: Using .NET GUIDs to help hunt for malware

Tool to extract identifiers incorporated into VirusTotal.
Tool to extract identifiers incorporated into VirusTotal. The large number of new malware samples found each day hasn't made malware analysis an easier task, and researchers could… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/paper-using-net-guids-help-hunt-malware/

Steganoprague: a VB2015 competition & puzzle

Use your obfuscation and deobfuscation skills to win a prize during the VB2015 conference!
Use your obfuscation and deobfuscation skills to win a prize during the VB2015 conference! "It is time for defenders to go on the offence," wrote Andreas Lindh in Virus Bulletin… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/steganoprague-competition-amp-puzzle/

NSA, GCHQ found to target anti-virus products

Agencies looked for vulnerabilities to exploit and for submitted malware samples.
Agencies looked for vulnerabilities to exploit and for submitted malware samples. New documents from NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden have revealed the agency and its British… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/nsa-gchq-found-target-anti-virus-products/

Paper: Beta exploit pack: one more piece of crimeware for the infection road!

Exploit kit currently being tested focuses primarily on Flash Player exploits.
Exploit kit currently being tested focuses primarily on Flash Player exploits. Nuclear, Angler, Magnitude and Rig. Security researchers know we're talking about exploit kits (or… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/paper-beta-exploit-pack-one-more-piece-crimeware-infection-road/

Throwback Thursday: Macro Viruses & The Little Virus That Could...

This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to 1999, when Melissa was causing havoc across the globe and VB presented a series of articles detailing all you ever wanted to know about macro viruses but were afraid to ask.
This Throwback Thursday, we turn the clock back to 1999, when Melissa was causing havoc across the globe and VB presented a series of articles detailing all you ever wanted to know… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/throwback-thursday-macro-viruses-amp-little-virus-could/

Virus Bulletin announces 'Small Talks' for VB2015

Smaller, more informal format ideal for discussion and debate.
Smaller, more informal format ideal for discussion and debate. When, a few months ago, we announced the programme for VB2015, we promised 'a number of added extras'. We have… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/announces-small-talks/

Throwback Thursday: Virus Writers

This Throwback Thursday, we bring you a series of articles from the archives that looked at virus writers, asking 'who are they?', 'why do they do it?', and other pertinent questions.
This Throwback Thursday, we bring you a series of articles from the archives that looked at virus writers, asking 'who are they?', 'why do they do it?', and other pertinent… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/throwback-thursday-virus-writers/

Vawtrak uses Tor2Web to connect to Tor hidden C&C servers

Option hides the servers, without having to include a Tor client in the malware.
Option hides the servers, without having to include a Tor client in the malware. The authors of the Vawtrak trojan (also known as Neverquest) have moved some of its C&C servers to… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/vawtrak-uses-tor2web-connect-tor-hidden-c-amp-c-servers/

Duqu 2.0 found to target security company

Advanced malware also targeted venues linked to Iranian nuclear negotiations.
Advanced malware also targeted venues linked to Iranian nuclear negotiations. There are some security stories you couldn't make up. The authors of an advanced malware tool have… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/duqu-2-0-found-target-security-company/

June

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/06/

London calling!

Infosecurity Europe, BSides London and the Security Bloggers Meetup.
Infosecurity Europe, BSides London and the Security Bloggers Meetup. June is the new April, at least for the security industry, as its traditional get-together in London… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/05/london-calling/

Paper: On the beat

Kevin Williams looks back at UK law enforcement successes at combating cybercrime.
Kevin Williams looks back at UK law enforcement successes at combating cybercrime. In a recent Throwback Thursday article, we looked back at the sentencing of self-confessed virus… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/05/paper-beat/

Throwback Thursday: Research and Other Hobbies

This Throwback Thursday we reflect on the life of one of industry's greats, who sadly passed away this week: Prof. Klaus Brunnstein.
This Throwback Thursday we reflect on the life of one of industry's greats, who sadly passed away this week: Prof. Klaus Brunnstein. Professor Klaus Brunnstein was one of the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/05/throwback-thursday-research-and-other-hobbies/

Weak keys and prime reuse make Diffie-Hellman implementations vulnerable

'Logjam' attack possibly used by the NSA to decrypt VPN traffic.
'Logjam' attack possibly used by the NSA to decrypt VPN traffic. A group of researchers have discovered a number of vulnerabilities in the way the Diffie-Hellman key exchange… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/05/weak-keys-and-prime-reuse-make-diffie-hellman-implementations-vulnerable/

Virus Bulletin announces student tickets for VB2015

87% discount for students and the option to give a lightning talk.
87% discount for students and the option to give a lightning talk. A few weeks ago, we opened registration for VB2015, which will take place in Prague from 30 September to 2… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/05/announces-student-tickets/

Throwback Thursday: Double Trouble / The Perfect Couple

Once again this Throwback Thursday, we bring you not one but two (related) pieces from the archives as VB heads back to the mid-90s when a new era of viruses was believed to be dawning.
Once again this Throwback Thursday, we bring you not one but two (related) pieces from the archives as VB heads back to the mid-90s when a new era of viruses was believed to be… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/05/throwback-thursday-double-trouble-perfect-couple/

Book review: The Florentine Deception, by Carey Nachenberg

John Hawes reviews Carey Nachenberg's debut novel.
John Hawes reviews Carey Nachenberg's debut novel. There's a rather serious problem with fiction involving computers, and computer security in particular. It seems like any time a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/05/book-review-florentine-deception-carey-nachenberg/

Book review: Data and Goliath, by Bruce Schneier

Paul Baccas reviews Data and Goliath 'The Hidden Battles to Collect You Data and Control Your World', by Bruce Schneier.
Paul Baccas reviews Data and Goliath 'The Hidden Battles to Collect You Data and Control Your World', by Bruce Schneier. This book has been difficult to review. It has proved… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/05/book-review-data-and-goliath-bruce-schneier/

Throwback Thursday: When Love came to Town

Once again this Throwback Thursday, we bring you not one but two (related) pieces from the archives as VB heads back to 2000 in the week of the 15th anniversary of the LoveLetter virus.
Once again this Throwback Thursday, we bring you not one but two (related) pieces from the archives as VB heads back to 2000 in the week of the 15th anniversary of the LoveLetter… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/05/throwback-thursday-when-love-came-town/

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