VB Blog

VB2017 paper: Nine circles of Cerber

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 15, 2017

Cerber is one of the major names in the world of ransomware, and last year, Check Point released a decryption service for the malware. Today, we publish a VB2017 paper by Check Point's Stanislav Skuratovich describing how the Cerber decryption tool worked; we have also uploaded the video of the presentation of this paper, by Or Eshed and Yaniv Balmas.

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Attack on Fox-IT shows how a DNS hijack can break multiple layers of security

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 14, 2017

Dutch security firm Fox-IT deserves praise for being open about an attack on its client network. There are some important lessons to be learned about DNS security from its post-mortem.

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Throwback Thursday: BGP - from route hijacking to RPKI: how vulnerable is the Internet?

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 14, 2017

For this week's Throwback Thursday, we look back at the video of a talk Level 3's Mike Benjamin gave at VB2016 in Denver, on BGP and BGP hijacks.

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Security Planner gives security advice based on your threat model

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 13, 2017

Citizen Lab's Security Planner helps you improve your online safety, based on the specific threats you are facing.

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VB2017 video: Spora: the saga continues a.k.a. how to ruin your research in a week

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 11, 2017

Today, we publish the video of the VB2017 presentation by Avast researcher Jakub Kroustek and his former colleague Előd Kironský, now at ESET, who told the story of Spora, one of of the most prominent ransomware families of 2017.

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VB2017 paper: Modern reconnaissance phase on APT – protection layer

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 7, 2017

During recent research, Cisco Talos researchers observed the ways in which APT actors are evolving and how a reconnaissance phase is included in the infection vector in order to protect valuable zero-day exploits or malware frameworks. At VB2017 in Madrid, two of those researchers, Paul Rascagneres and Warren Mercer, presented a paper detailing five case studies that demonstrate how the infection vector is evolving. Today we publish both Paul and Warren's paper and the recording of their presentation.

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VB2017 paper: Peering into spam botnets

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 1, 2017

At VB2017 in Madrid, CERT Poland researchers Maciej Kotowicz and Jarosław Jedynak presented a paper detailing their low-level analysis of five spam botnets. Today we publish their full paper.

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Throwback Thursday: Anti-malware testing undercover

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Nov 30, 2017

We look back at the VB2016 presentation by Righard Zwienenberg (ESET) and Luis Corrons (Panda Security), in which they discussed various issues relating to anti-malware testing.

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Virus Bulletin relaunches VB Security Jobs Market for both employers and job seekers

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Nov 30, 2017

As an independent body in the IT security industry, Virus Bulletin is in an ideal position to act as a global source of information both about jobs currently available in the field and about those candidates currently seeking to start or progress their career in the industry - which is why we have relaunched the VB Security Jobs Market.

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VB2017 paper: Offensive malware analysis: dissecting OSX/FruitFly.B via a custom C&C server

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Nov 29, 2017

At VB2017 in Madrid, macOS malware researcher Patrick Wardle presented the details of a specific piece of Mac malware, FruitFly, which he analysed through a custom C&C server - a technique that will also be of interest for researchers of malware on other platforms. Today we publish both Patrick's paper and the recording of his presentation.

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Search blog

Opening of a (spam) can of worms

Hormel loses latest trademark battle.
Hormel loses latest trademark battle.Hormel Foods Corp., inventor and manufacturer of the world-famous canned meat product SPAM, has lost a lawsuit against Seattle-based company… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/12/opening-spam-can-worms/

Vista fails to reassure web users

50% of users don't believe Vista has made the Internet any safer.
50% of users don't believe Vista has made the Internet any safer. According to a recent poll, 50% of visitors to the VB website do not believe that Windows Vista has made the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/12/vista-fails-reassure-web-users/

Teenage botherder arrested in New Zealand

International cooperation also leads to eight arrests in the US.
International cooperation also leads to eight arrests in the US. Police in New Zealand have arrested an 18-year-old youth believed to be the herder of a botnet of 1.3 million… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/teenage-botherder-arrested-new-zealand/

Webroot merges with UK managed service firm

Anti-spyware firm moves into SaaS arena
Anti-spyware firm moves into SaaS arena Anti-spyware specialist Webroot has announced a merger with UK-based software-as-a-service firm Email Systems, expanding its provisions… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/webroot-merges-uk-managed-service-firm/

AVAR 2007 opens in Seoul

Asian and global malware experts gather to discuss latest trends
Asian and global malware experts gather to discuss latest trends The annual conference of the Association of anti Virus Asia Researchers (AVAR) has convened in the comfortable… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/avar-2007-opens-seoul/

SANS issues vulnerability top 20

Annual study of security risks finds software and humans present dangers.
Annual study of security risks finds software and humans present dangers. The SANS Institute has released its annual survey of vulnerabilities putting computer systems and networks… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/sans-issues-vulnerability-top-20/

Inconvenient content

Hackers include spammish content into Al Gore's website.
Hackers include spammish content into Al Gore's website. Hackers have managed to break into a website set up to promote Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth and include links to… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/inconvenient-content/

QuickTime flaw could open Windows PCs to hackers

Firefox users most vulnerable; Internet Explorer users should be wary too.
Firefox users most vulnerable; Internet Explorer users should be wary too. Polish security researcher Krystian Kloskowski has published a proof-of-concept exploit for a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/quicktime-flaw-could-open-windows-pcs-hackers/

Five-year-old design flaw found in all Windows versions

Microsoft engineers spend Thanksgiving holidays writing patch.
Microsoft engineers spend Thanksgiving holidays writing patch. During the Kiwicon conference earlier this month, ethical hacker Beau Butler from New Zealand disclosed a design flaw… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/five-year-old-design-flaw-found-all-windows-versions/

One in four consider online banking unsafe

Virus Bulletin finds that one in four users consider online banking to be unsafe, but manage their accounts online regardless, while 50% of users consider online banking to be risk free.
Virus Bulletin finds that one in four users consider online banking to be unsafe, but manage their accounts online regardless, while 50% of users consider online banking to be risk… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/one-four-consider-online-banking-unsafe/

Pushy scamware ads served by DoubleClick

Advertising network provided ads for rogue security product.
Advertising network provided ads for rogue security product. Online advertising system DoubleClick, part of an ongoing acquisition attempt by Google, has allowed a wave of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/pushy-scamware-ads-served-doubleclick/

Two fixes released on lightweight Patch Tuesday

Monthly security update covers just couple of dangers.
Monthly security update covers just couple of dangers.Microsoft has released its monthly 'Patch Tuesday' security bulletin, with only two patches issued, one rated 'Important' and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/two-fixes-released-lightweight-patch-tuesday/

US botnet master confesses to crimes

Security consultant to plead guilty, could face heavy sentence.
Security consultant to plead guilty, could face heavy sentence. A Los Angeles man has agreed to plead guilty to several counts of fraud and unauthorised interfering with computer… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/us-botnet-master-confesses-crimes/

Infected Seagate hard drives sold in Taiwan

External Maxtor disks shipped carrying autorun datastealer.
External Maxtor disks shipped carrying autorun datastealer. A shipment of Maxtor external hard drives, produced in Thailand by US-based Seagate and sold in Taiwan, has been found… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/infected-seagate-hard-drives-sold-taiwan/

Russian Business Network leaves Russia

Leading cybercrime hosting hub moves business to fresh pastures.
Leading cybercrime hosting hub moves business to fresh pastures. The notorious Russian Business Network (RBN), recently making headlines for the massive amounts of malicious and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/russian-business-network-leaves-russia/

Phished Salesforce.com data used for phishing attacks

Password leak leads to major CRM customer data haul.
Password leak leads to major CRM customer data haul. A security breach at customer relationship management (CRM) firm Salesforce.com has led to a large-scale leak of confidential… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/phished-salesforce-com-data-used-phishing-attacks/

Sophos announces plans to float

Listing on London Stock Exchange expected soon.
Listing on London Stock Exchange expected soon. The long-anticipated floatation of Sophos, one of the biggest privately owned security firms, has been announced this week, with the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/sophos-announces-plans-float/

Symantec joins data leak frenzy

Vontu purchase latest move in data protection trend.
Vontu purchase latest move in data protection trend.Symantec has announced the $350 million purchase of data leak prevention firm Vontu, following several similar moves by major… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/symantec-joins-data-leak-frenzy/

LinkedIn providing open redirect

Lax website setup could be used to trick the unwary.
Lax website setup could be used to trick the unwary. Popular professional networking system LinkedIn has been allowing free redirects from its website, providing spammers and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/linkedin-providing-open-redirect/

Attempted virus fumbles attack on F-Secure

Flawed file-infector fails to frighten Finns.
Flawed file-infector fails to frighten Finns. A highly buggy intended virus has been found to include an attempt to launch a DDoS attack on the websites of Finnish security firm… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/11/attempted-virus-fumbles-attack-f-secure/

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