VB Blog

First sponsors of VB2017 announced

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Mar 6, 2017

We are excited to announce the first five sponsors of VB2017, companies based in Europe, Asia and North America.

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Security products and HTTPS: let's do it better

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 27, 2017

A recent paper showed that many HTTPS-intercepting security solutions have implemented TLS rather poorly. Does that mean we should avoid such solutions altogether?

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The SHA-1 hashing algorithm has been 'shattered'

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 23, 2017

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.

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Throwback Thursday: Once a researcher...

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Feb 23, 2017

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.

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

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 20, 2017

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!

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

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 17, 2017

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 what they think is wrong with many APT reports and what can be done to improve them.

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Security for your ears: recommended infosec podcasts

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 14, 2017

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.

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

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 10, 2017

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.

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

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 9, 2017

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.

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Throwback Thursday: A troubled world

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Feb 9, 2017

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 relatively trivial to then Editor of VB, Edward Wilding.

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Search blog

Software and OS developers should take responsibility for security

While 51% of users say computer security should be the responsibility of the user, nearly a third of users feel it is up to software and OS developers.
While 51% of users say computer security should be the responsibility of the user, nearly a third of users feel it is up to software and OS developers. According to a recent poll,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/software-and-os-developers-should-take-responsibility-security/

M&S joins high-street AV retail crowd

Upmarket store to match rivals in security software selling.
Upmarket store to match rivals in security software selling. Leading UK retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has joined fellow high-street chain Woolworths and supermarket leviathan… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/m-amp-s-joins-high-street-av-retail-crowd/

Bumper Patch Tuesday short of one patch

Excel remains vulnerable as expected fix is dropped.
Excel remains vulnerable as expected fix is dropped.Microsoft has issued its monthly 'Patch Tuesday' set of security updates, with a larger than usual crop of patches for a variety… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/bumper-patch-tuesday-short-one-patch/

Trend vs. ClamAV patent row hots up

Free software advocates call for boycott of Trend.
Free software advocates call for boycott of Trend. With legal proceedings ongoing between Trend Micro and gateway appliance specialist Barracuda Networks, concerning Barracuda's… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/trend-vs-clamav-patent-row-hots/

Over 1 per cent of search results include malicious sites

Google research paper confirms significant increase in number of malware-serving websites.
Google research paper confirms significant increase in number of malware-serving websites. Recent reports of increasing numbers of websites serving malicious content have been… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/over-1-cent-search-results-include-malicious-sites/

Storm Valentines run under way

Seasonal spam and malware barrage gets going.
Seasonal spam and malware barrage gets going. The expected run of 'Storm' spams, pushing links to their latest line of malware disguised as Valentine's messages, has begun, with… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/storm-valentines-run-under-way/

Live Mail CAPTCHA system bypassed

Spammers use botnet to register accounts on popular free webmail service.
Spammers use botnet to register accounts on popular free webmail service.Spammers have written a program that cracks the CAPTCHAS used by the Windows Live Mail registration system.… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/live-mail-captcha-system-bypassed/

More PDF exploits seen in wild

Adobe Reader and Acrobat flaws open way for further document attacks.
Adobe Reader and Acrobat flaws open way for further document attacks. A string of vulnerabilities in Adobe's PDF viewing and editing software, disclosed late last week by Adobe and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/more-pdf-exploits-seen-wild/

Complex attack targets Better Business Bureau

Sophisticated scam uses personalised mails, real site redirects.
Sophisticated scam uses personalised mails, real site redirects. A highly sophisticated email phishing scam is using a redirection flaw in the website of the Better Business Bureau… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/complex-attack-targets-better-business-bureau/

Yahoo! jukebox flaw exploits in wild

Zero day vulnerability in music system rapidly targeted.
Zero day vulnerability in music system rapidly targeted.Vulnerabilities in Yahoo! Jukebox, a free music-management system provided by Yahoo!, have been exploited by in-the-wild… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/yahoo-jukebox-flaw-exploits-wild/

FTC fines spammers over $2.5 million

Drug pushers busted for phony claims and CAN-SPAM breaches.
Drug pushers busted for phony claims and CAN-SPAM breaches. After a successful case brought by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a pharmaceuticals firm and its head have been… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/ftc-fines-spammers-over-2-5-million/

New security software testing standards body formed

AMTSO to promote cross-industry debate and higher standards in testing.
AMTSO to promote cross-industry debate and higher standards in testing. A collaborative group from across the security industry has officially been founded this week, aiming to… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/new-security-software-testing-standards-body-formed/

419 scammers plead guilty in US

African trio admit attempts to defraud via spam.
African trio admit attempts to defraud via spam. Three men, two from Nigeria and a third from Senegal, entered guilty pleas in a Brooklyn, New York, courtroom last week after being… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/419-scammers-plead-guilty-us/

Fake security blogs lead to malware

Blogger sites play on fears to draw victims to porn, trojans.
Blogger sites play on fears to draw victims to porn, trojans. According to a report from Aladdin, numerous fake security blogs have been set up on the Google-owned Blogger blogging… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/fake-security-blogs-lead-malware/

February

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/

February issue of VB published

The February issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download.
The February issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download. The February 2008 issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to browse online or… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/02/february-issue-vb-published/

Barracuda battles Trend Micro patent claims

Trend demands licensing for gateway virus scanning idea.
Trend demands licensing for gateway virus scanning idea.Barracuda Networks has announced it is fighting a legal battle against Trend Micro, who has claimed US patent rights to the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/01/barracuda-battles-trend-micro-patent-claims/

First virus-writing arrests in Japan

Winny worm authors brought to book - for copyright violation.
Winny worm authors brought to book - for copyright violation. Japan has seen its first ever arrests of virus writers, with three men taken into custody in Kyoto last week and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/01/first-virus-writing-arrests-japan/

Ledger poisons Google

Actor's death exploited by malware writers to infect computers.
Actor's death exploited by malware writers to infect computers. The death of actor Heath Ledger on Tuesday had barely been confirmed a few hours when malicious websites started… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/01/ledger-poisons-google/

Polyglot worm spreads through MSN

Worm changes language to target wide audience.
Worm changes language to target wide audience. A new worm has been discovered that spreads through MSN Messenger. Once active, the worm opens random TCP ports to connect to an IRC… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2008/01/polyglot-worm-spreads-through-msn/

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