VB Blog

Alleged author of creepy FruitFly macOS malware arrested

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 11, 2018

A 28-year old man from Ohio has been arrested on suspicion of having created the mysterious FruitFly malware that targeted macOS and used it to spy on its victims.

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The threat and security product landscape in 2017

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 10, 2018

At the start of the new year, Virus Bulletin looks back at the threats seen in the 2017 and at the security products that are available to help mitigate them.

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Spamhaus report shows many botnet controllers look a lot like legitimate servers

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 9, 2018

Spamhaus's annual report on botnet activity shows that botherders tend to use popular, legitimate hosting providers, domain registrars and top-level domains when setting up command-and-control servers.

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Tips on researching tech support scams

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 5, 2018

As tech support scammers continue to target the computer illiterate through cold calling, VB's Martijn Grooten uses his own experience to share some advice on how to investigate such scams.

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Meltdown and Spectre attacks mitigated by operating system updates

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 4, 2018

Just four days into the new year, two serious attacks in modern processors, dubbed Meltdown and Spectre, have been discovered. The attacks can be mitigated by patches to the operating system, but anti-virus software vendors need to make sure their products are compatible with the patches.

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Conference review: AVAR 2017

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 22, 2017

Martijn Grooten reports on the 20th AVAR conference, which took place earlier in December in Beijing, China.

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Conference review: Botconf 2017

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Dec 22, 2017

Virus Bulletin researchers report back from a very interesting fifth edition of Botconf, the botnet fighting conference.

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VB2017 videos on attacks against Ukraine

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 21, 2017

(In)security is a global issue that affects countries around the world, but in recent years none has been so badly hit as Ukraine. Today, we publish the videos of two VB2017 talks about attacks that hit Ukraine particularly badly: a talk by Alexander Adamov (NioGuard) on (Not)Petya and related attacks, and another by Robert Lipovsky and Anton Cherepanov (ESET) on Industroyer.

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Facebook helps you determine whether emails really came from its servers

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 21, 2017

On its website, Facebook now shows which emails it has sent you recently, thus helping you to determine which emails are real, and which should be discarded as phishing.

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Vulnerability disclosure and botnet takedown not to be hindered by Wassenaar Arrangement

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Dec 19, 2017

Clarification in the language of the Wassenaar Arrangement, a multilateral export control regime for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies, means those involved in vulnerability disclosure or botnet takedown won't have to worry about acquiring an export licence.

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Search blog

Fake updates and phony postcards carry malware

Microsoft patch and greetings card spams bring more trojans.
Microsoft patch and greetings card spams bring more trojans. Several spam runs posing as vulnerability alerts from Microsoft have been spotted in the last week, with links to… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/07/fake-updates-and-phony-postcards-carry-malware/

NOD32 alerts on suspect adverts

False positive reveals sneaky techniques used in ads.
False positive reveals sneaky techniques used in ads.ESET's NOD32 product was updated several times in close succession over the weekend, as false positives were introduced… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/07/nod32-alerts-suspect-adverts/

July issue of VB published

The July issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download.
The July issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to download. The July 2007 issue of Virus Bulletin is now available for subscribers to browse online or download… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/07/july-issue-vb-published/

Spammer offers new service

Spammer turns court order into money-making opportunity.
Spammer turns court order into money-making opportunity. Wily email marketer/spammer (depending on your viewpoint) David Linhardt, famed for suing UK spam-fighting organization… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/07/spammer-offers-new-service/

Challenge Blue Pill

Researcher challenged to prove 100% undetectable rootkit claim.
Researcher challenged to prove 100% undetectable rootkit claim. Joanna Rutkowska, the security researcher who last year claimed that she can create 100% undetectable malware, has… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/07/challenge-blue-pill/

Pity poor MS Security workers

MS Security rated 6th worst job in science.
MS Security rated 6th worst job in science. Spare a thought this month for the staff of the Microsoft Security Response Center who, according to Popular Science magazine, have the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/07/pity-poor-ms-security-workers/

July

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/07/

Advance diary dates: VB2008

VB announces VB2008.
VB announces VB2008. VB is pleased to announce that VB2008 will take place 1-3 October 2008 in Ottawa, Canada. Reserve the dates and start making your travel plans now! If you… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/07/advance-diary-dates/

Symantec presenter spotted using KAV

Another update embarrassment as rival software pops up.
Another update embarrassment as rival software pops up. After the recent damaging false positive incident in China, which has led Symantec to offer free software to those hit by… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/symantec-presenter-spotted-using-kav/

US porn spammers convicted

Two found guilty of CAN-SPAM breaches.
Two found guilty of CAN-SPAM breaches. A federal jury in Phoenix, Arizona, has found two men guilty of two charges of violating the US CAN-SPAM regulations, as well as other… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/us-porn-spammers-convicted/

Spanish mobile malware suspect arrested

28-year-old charged with Cabir/Commwarrior crimes.
28-year-old charged with Cabir/Commwarrior crimes. An unnamed man has been arrested in Valencia, Spain, on suspicion of creating and spreading 20 variants of the Cabir and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/spanish-mobile-malware-suspect-arrested/

UK users ignoring security issues

Surveys find public in the dark and careless about sensitive data.
Surveys find public in the dark and careless about sensitive data. Several surveys out this week have shown the UK public is failing to take basic security precautions to protect… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/uk-users-ignoring-security-issues/

100,000 new phishing sites set up in 7 days

IBM sees huge rise in kit-build scam sites.
IBM sees huge rise in kit-build scam sites. Phishing watchers at IBM's X-Force research team have recorded an enormous burst of phishing activity in the last seven days, with over… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/100-000-new-phishing-sites-set-7-days/

Latest VB100 announced

Products for 64-bit Windows Vista to be tested.
Products for 64-bit Windows Vista to be tested. VB has issued a call for submissions for the latest VB100 comparative review, with products for the 64-bit version of Microsoft… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/latest-announced/

China steps up fight against spammers

Blacklist aims to reduce massive spamming levels.
Blacklist aims to reduce massive spamming levels. Chinese web organisation the Internet Society of China (ISC) has announced the setting up of a central anti-spam blacklist, to… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/china-steps-fight-against-spammers/

Mpack packs punch in Italy

10,000 sites carrying exploits in large-scale attack.
10,000 sites carrying exploits in large-scale attack. Sophisticated remote-exploit attack kit 'Mpack' has been spotted in use in increasingly large numbers throughout Europe, with… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/mpack-packs-punch-italy/

FBI serves up Operation Bot Roast

Investigations identify more than 1 million victim IP addresses.
Investigations identify more than 1 million victim IP addresses. The FBI has announced the results of an ongoing initiative, dubbed 'Operation Bot Roast', which is aimed at… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/fbi-serves-operation-bot-roast/

Phisher gets six years

Californian receives 70-month prison sentence, avoids 101 years behind bars.
Californian receives 70-month prison sentence, avoids 101 years behind bars. A Californian man, found guilty in January this year of operating a phishing scheme aimed at scamming… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/phisher-gets-six-years/

Bugs found in Apple's new Windows browser within hours of release

Safari not so good-y.
Safari not so good-y. A number of security researchers say they found bugs in Apple's brand new web browser Safari for Windows just hours after its public beta release on 11 June.… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/bugs-found-apple-s-new-windows-browser-within-hours-release/

4 critical flaws patched this Patch Tuesday

Microsoft's June Security Bulletin covers range of vulnerabilities.
Microsoft's June Security Bulletin covers range of vulnerabilities.Microsoft's latest 'Patch Tuesday' security bulletin, released yesterday, includes fixes for six vulnerabilities,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2007/06/4-critical-flaws-patched-patch-tuesday/

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