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

Smartphone security sphere to reach $5 billion by 2011

Market analysts foresee boom in mobile threats and security market.
Market analysts foresee boom in mobile threats and security market. UK-based telecoms analyst Juniper Research has released a report predicting a steady rise in attacks on… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/smartphone-security-sphere-reach-5-billion-2011/

MIME tricks beat email virus scanners

Simple encoding dodges slip malware past gateways.
Simple encoding dodges slip malware past gateways. A security researcher released a report last week claiming that some simple manipulation allowed him to get mails containing the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/mime-tricks-beat-email-virus-scanners/

Anti-spyware activists condemn rogue MP3 search firm

CDT and StopBadware unite in call for action against spyware pushers.
CDT and StopBadware unite in call for action against spyware pushers. The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) and StopBadware.org have issued a joint complaint to the Federal… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/anti-spyware-activists-condemn-rogue-mp3-search-firm/

Adobe hit by second vulnerability

More document software security worries.
More document software security worries. PDF software giant Adobe has released details of its second vulnerability in little over a week. The first, which was discovered in the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/adobe-hit-second-vulnerability/

Free firewalls rated best in leak tests

Leakage review puts Comodo, Jetico way ahead of field.
Leakage review puts Comodo, Jetico way ahead of field. An in-depth study subjecting 23 different personal firewall products to a range of leak tests has granted two free products,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/free-firewalls-rated-best-leak-tests/

Mobile spam wave hits Europe

Multilingual SMS spams reported.
Multilingual SMS spams reported. Mobile security researchers at F-Secure have received numerous reports of SMS spams from across Europe, in a variety of languages. Links in the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/mobile-spam-wave-hits-europe/

Trojan spreading mobile spyware

Consumer phone-snooping tool dropped by Symbian malware.
Consumer phone-snooping tool dropped by Symbian malware. A new variant of the MultiDropper trojan targeting Symbian smartphones has included amongst its payload a 'legitimate'… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/trojan-spreading-mobile-spyware/

MS Word zero-day exploit seen in wild

Microsoft warns of attacks using vulnerability.
Microsoft warns of attacks using vulnerability.Microsoft has issued a security bulletin warning of a serious vulnerability discovered in several versions of Microsoft Word and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/ms-word-zero-day-exploit-seen-wild/

MySpace hit by worm, adware and phishing

Exploit in QuickTime file infecting social site profile pages.
Exploit in QuickTime file infecting social site profile pages. A malicious QuickTime movie file is spreading across social networking site MySpace, embedding itself in the user… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/myspace-hit-worm-adware-and-phishing/

Firm charged $1 million in rogue spyware case

Heavy fines and fees hit fake 'Spyware Cleaner' pushers.
Heavy fines and fees hit fake 'Spyware Cleaner' pushers. A Seattle court has announced a $1 million settlement in a case brought against a spyware firm, marking the first… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/firm-charged-1-million-rogue-spyware-case/

EU to fund Symantec phishing studies

Security firm in consortium researching phishing prevention.
Security firm in consortium researching phishing prevention.Symantec announced yesterday an award of funding from the European Commission to pay for research into securing email… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/eu-fund-symantec-phishing-studies/

Vista launched, malware still a danger

New Windows version on sale, but viruses remain a threat, says Sophos
New Windows version on sale, but viruses remain a threat, says Sophos The corporate version Microsoft's long-awaited update to its Windows operating system was finally released… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/vista-launched-malware-still-danger/

China source of huge phishing surge

Spam watchers see major jump in scam spam sent from China
Spam watchers see major jump in scam spam sent from China Analysts at email and web security firm Marshal have reported a major spike in the numbers of phishing email originating… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/china-source-huge-phishing-surge/

December

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/

December issue of VB published

The December issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download.
The December issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download. The December 2006 issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to browse online or… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/december-issue-vb-published/

Festive greetings

Yuletide wishes.
Yuletide wishes. The VB team wishes all Virus Bulletin readers a very happy Christmas and a prosperous and peaceful new year. This year, continuing the tradition of its Christmas… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/festive-greetings/

Anti-spammer loses case

Anti-spam activist sued in case that brings enforceability of state anti-spam laws into question.
Anti-spam activist sued in case that brings enforceability of state anti-spam laws into question. An anti-spam activist has successfully been sued in a US federal court by the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/anti-spammer-loses-case/

In the picture?

Remember VB94?
Remember VB94? Were you at VB94 in Jersey? VB has unearthed some photos taken at the fourth Virus Bulletin Conference. To see those who were the fresh faces of the anti-virus… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/picture/

Stocking filler

Collection of 419 baiting tales.
Collection of 419 baiting tales. If you're stuck for a last-minute Christmas gift idea, Mike Berry's new book could be the answer. Mike Berry is the creator of 'scam-baiting'… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/12/stocking-filler/

Europe facing 38 billion spams a day by 2010

Research group releases report on future spam trends.
Research group releases report on future spam trends. Technology market research firm The Radicati Group has unveiled an in-depth study of likely future trends in the European… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/europe-facing-38-billion-spams-day-2010/

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