VB Blog

WordPress users urged to manually update to fix bug that prevents automatic updating

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 8, 2018

Users of the popular WordPress content management system are urged to manually update their installation to version 4.9.4, as a bug in the previous version broke the ability to automatically install updates.

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New paper: A review of the evolution of Andromeda over the years

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 7, 2018

The Andromeda botnet (aka Gamarue or Wauchos) has plagued Internet users for more than half a decade but, following a takedown effort and the arrest of the suspected botnet owner in December 2017, it is likely we have seen the end of it. In a new paper by Fortinet researchers Bahare Sabouri and He Xu, we look back at the evolution of Andromeda from version 2.06 to 2.10 and demonstrate both how it improved its loader to evade automatic analysis/detection and how the payload varied among the different versions.

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There is no evidence in-the-wild malware is using Meltdown or Spectre

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 2, 2018

Reports of malware using the Meltdown or Spectre attacks are likely based on proof-of-concept code rather than files written for a malicious purpose.

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Throwback Thursday: Malware taking a bit(coin) more than we bargained for

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 1, 2018

This Throwback Thursday, we republish the VB2012 paper by Microsoft researcher Amir Fouda, one of the earliest papers to look at malware targeting Bitcoin.

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First time speaker? Don't be afraid of submitting to the VB2018 CFP

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 31, 2018

We especially encourage those less experienced in speaking in public to submit to the call for papers for VB2018, where we aim to provide a friendly and welcoming environment in which people can both present their own research and learn from what others have been working on.

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VB2017 paper: VirusTotal tips, tricks and myths

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 25, 2018

At VB2017 in Madrid, security researcher Randy Abrams presented an overview of the VirusTotal service and then went on to bust several of the persistent myths that surround it. Today we publish both Randy's paper and the recording of his presentation.

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Healthcare CERTs highlight the need for security guidance for specific sectors

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 24, 2018

A new computer emergency response team has been launched in the Netherlands to provide guidance specifically tailored to the healthcare sector. Martijn Grooten welcomes the development.

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VB2018 call for papers now open!

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 23, 2018

Have you analysed a new online threat? Do you know a new way to defend against such threats? Are you tasked with securing systems and fending off attacks? The call for papers for VB2018 is now open and we want to hear from you!

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Book review: Serious Cryptography

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 22, 2018

VB Editor Martijn Grooten recommends Jean-Philippe Aumasson's 'Serious Cryptography' as a very solid but practically focused introduction to cryptography.

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Necurs pump-and-dump spam campaign pushes obscure cryptocurrency

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 16, 2018

A Necurs pump-and-dump spam campaign pushing the lesser known Swisscoin botnet is mostly background noise for the Internet.

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Search blog

Scammers take advantage of Epsilon data breach

Trojan hidden as security tool for affected customers.
Trojan hidden as security tool for affected customers. Scammers are currently taking advantage of the data breach that affected email security provider Epsilon recently, by… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/04/scammers-take-advantage-epsilon-data-breach/

Department of Justice shuts down Coreflood botnet

'Stop' command sent from replaced command and control servers.
'Stop' command sent from replaced command and control servers. Earlier this week the US Department of Justice (DoJ) obtained an unprecedented temporary restraining order (TRO) that… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/04/department-justice-shuts-down-coreflood-botnet/

First AV-Test certifications of 2011 published

22 products scored on multiple scales in quarterly test report.
22 products scored on multiple scales in quarterly test report. Testing organization AV-Test has published its latest round of anti-malware certification tests, with 22 products… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/04/first-av-test-certifications-2011-published/

Adobe releases emergency update for Flash Player

Zero-day exploit actively being abused.
Zero-day exploit actively being abused.Adobe has announced it will release an update for its Flash Player on Friday 15 April, fixing a vulnerability that is currently being… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/04/adobe-releases-emergency-update-flash-player/

Ransom trojan demands Windows re-activation

Criminals make money through calls to supposedly free phone number.
Criminals make money through calls to supposedly free phone number. A new piece of ransomware has been discovered that shows the PC user a blue screen and asks them to re-activate… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/04/ransom-trojan-demands-windows-re-activation/

AV-Comparatives unveils latest on-demand results

20 products rated in large-scale detection tests.
20 products rated in large-scale detection tests. Testing organization AV-Comparatives has revealed the results of its latest on-demand test. Top-rated products include Trustport,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/04/av-comparatives-unveils-latest-demand-results/

RSA gives insight into anatomy of attack on its systems

Publicly available information used to spear phish employees.
Publicly available information used to spear phish employees. Security company RSA has released some information about how hackers gained access to its systems, giving a good… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/04/rsa-gives-insight-anatomy-attack-its-systems/

Major email service provider suffers data breach

Financial institutions among affected customers.
Financial institutions among affected customers. Email service provider Epsilon, which carries out email marketing for many major companies, has admitted it has fallen victim to a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/04/major-email-service-provider-suffers-data-breach/

April issue of VB published

The April issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download.
The April issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download. The April 2011 issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to browse online or… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/04/april-issue-vb-published/

April

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/04/

Keylogger on Samsung laptops proves to be false alarm

AV product wrongly flags malware based on existence of directory.
AV product wrongly flags malware based on existence of directory. A number of security bloggers raised concern yesterday about the apparent presence of a keylogger on Samsung… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/03/keylogger-samsung-laptops-proves-be-false-alarm/

South Korea proposes to make security software mandatory

Law enables government to search PCs of those who do not comply.
Law enables government to search PCs of those who do not comply. A bill, proposed by a number of South Korean MPs, would make the use of security software mandatory for computer… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/03/south-korea-proposes-make-security-software-mandatory/

Rogue SSL certificates issued for popular websites

Certificates revoked, but browsers still need to be updated.
Certificates revoked, but browsers still need to be updated.Comodo, a major vendor of SSL certificates, has admitted to one of its affiliates' servers being hacked, leading to nine… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/03/rogue-ssl-certificates-issued-popular-websites/

Cutwail botnet sent 1.7 trillion spam messages

Operators made several million through botnet.
Operators made several million through botnet. Researchers from The Last Line of Defense and universities in Bochum and Santa Barbara have shared some insight into the workings of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/03/cutwail-botnet-sent-1-7-trillion-spam-messages/

Spam levels take a nose dive as Rustock apparently taken down - update

Eerie silence from Rustock botnet. Microsoft reported to have co-ordinated take down.
Eerie silence from Rustock botnet. Microsoft reported to have co-ordinated take down. Spam levels have taken a nose dive over the last 24 hours - apparently as a result of a take… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/03/spam-levels-take-nose-dive-rustock-apparently-taken-down-update/

Increase in use of mobile anti-malware protection

Poll shows smartphone users more likely to use anti-malware protection on their phones than three years ago.
Poll shows smartphone users more likely to use anti-malware protection on their phones than three years ago. In a poll of visitors to the VB website, 57% of smartphone users said… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/03/increase-use-mobile-anti-malware-protection/

Taking Brain home

Short film features Mikko Hyppönen returning first PC virus to its birthplace.
Short film features Mikko Hyppönen returning first PC virus to its birthplace. Anti-malware vendor F-Secure released a short documentary film this week to mark the 25th anniversary… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/03/taking-brain-home/

Tsunami response quick among cybercriminals

Miscreants releasing scams, phishing, scareware... within a matter of hours.
Miscreants releasing scams, phishing, scareware... within a matter of hours. As most of the world reels in shock at the devastation caused by this morning's massive earthquake in… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/03/tsunami-response-quick-among-cybercriminals/

Cybercriminals frustrated with botnet trackers

Drastic measures discussed by users of online forum.
Drastic measures discussed by users of online forum. Russian cybercriminals are willing to go to great lengths to frustrate services that hinder botnets created with the ZeuS and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/03/cybercriminals-frustrated-botnet-trackers/

ENISA calls for revised botnet measurements

EU agency says current measures of botnet threat are misleading.
EU agency says current measures of botnet threat are misleading. European cyber security agency, ENISA (the European Network and Information Security Agency) has called for a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2011/03/enisa-calls-revised-botnet-measurements/

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