VB Blog

VB2018 paper: Little Brother is watching – we know all your secrets!

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 1, 2019

At VB2018 in Montreal, researchers from Fraunhofer SIT looked at privacy vulnerabilities in legitimate Android family-tracking apps that leaked location data. Today, we publish both their paper and the video of their presentation.

Read more  

Threat intelligence teams should consider recruiting journalists

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 29, 2019

Threat intelligence teams would do well to recruit journalists, whose experience is crucial in today's threat landscape.

Read more  

From HSBC to product descriptions: the malicious emails bypassing your filters

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 28, 2019

Using data from our VBSpam lab, we looked at the malicious emails that have been missed recently by a large number of email security products.

Read more  

VB2018 paper: Inside Formbook infostealer

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 25, 2019

The Formbook information-stealing trojan may not be APT-grade malware, but its continuing spread means it can still be effective. At VB2018 in Montreal, Gabriela Nicolao, a researcher from Deloitte in Argentina, presented a short paper in which she looked at Formbook's background and history and analysed a sample of the malware. Today, we publish Gabriela's paper.

Read more  

The VB2019 CFP - how the selection procedure works

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 24, 2019

With the VB2019 Call for Papers having opened last week, we explain how the selection procedure works, which may help you during your abstract submission.

Read more  

VB2018 paper: From Hacking Team to hacked team to…?

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 18, 2019

Today we publish the VB2018 paper and video by ESET researcher Filip Kafka, who looked at the new malware by Hacking Team, after the company had recovered from the 2015 breach.

Read more  

The spam that is hardest to block is often the most damaging

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 17, 2019

We see a lot of spam in the VBSpam test lab, and we also see how well such emails are being blocked by email security products. Worryingly, it is often the emails with a malicious attachment or a phishing link that are most likely to be missed.

Read more  

Throwback Thursday: We're all doomed

Posted by   Helen Martin on   Jan 17, 2019

Mydoom turns 15 this month, and is still being seen in email attachments. This Throwback Thursday we look back to March 2004, when Gabor Szappanos tracked the rise of W32/Mydoom.

Read more  

VB2019 call for papers - now open!

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 15, 2019

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 VB2019 is now open and we want to hear from you!

Read more  

VB2018 paper: Unpacking the packed unpacker: reversing an Android anti-analysis library

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 14, 2019

Today, we publish a VB2018 paper by Google researcher Maddie Stone in which she looks at one of the most interesting anti-analysis native libraries in the Android ecosystem. We also release the recording of Maddie's presentation.

Read more  

Search blog

Vulnerability hits F-Secure gateway products

Flaw in OpenSSL could allow DoS on servers.
Flaw in OpenSSL could allow DoS on servers. A vulnerability in OpenSSL software, used to access the administration interface in some F-Secure gateway and mail protection products,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/vulnerability-hits-f-secure-gateway-products/

Worm targets old Symantec hole

Long-patched vulnerability attacked by new Spybot.
Long-patched vulnerability attacked by new Spybot. A version of the Spybot worm has been spotted attempting to use a vulnerability in Symantec Client Security and Symantec… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/worm-targets-old-symantec-hole/

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/

Spyware pushers let off fines

FTC reduces punishment for crooks 'unable to pay'.
FTC reduces punishment for crooks 'unable to pay'. Two spyware operations have settled lawsuits brought against them by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at a huge discount. The… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/spyware-pushers-let-fines/

Severe vulnerability hits Mac OSX

Exploit published for gaping DMG hole.
Exploit published for gaping DMG hole. A serious vulnerability found in the DMG handling on fully up-to-date installations of Apple's OSX is threatening to upset the platform's… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/severe-vulnerability-hits-mac-osx/

McAfee in anti-phishing confusion

Latest study rates all filters poorly, slates SiteAdvisor.
Latest study rates all filters poorly, slates SiteAdvisor. In two recent studies of anti-phishing technologies, one (sponsored by Microsoft) rated Internet Explorer highest, while… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/mcafee-anti-phishing-confusion/

Spammers and phishers target Christmas shoppers

Online shoppers and email users face heightened festive risks.
Online shoppers and email users face heightened festive risks. With the annual Christmas spending frenzy fast approaching, phishing is as usual on the rise, targeting inexperienced… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/spammers-and-phishers-target-christmas-shoppers/

Zango still in spyware game

Dodgy tactics continue despite ruling.
Dodgy tactics continue despite ruling. Several researchers have complained that adware-fuelled media company Zango continues to use deceptive practices, despite the recent case… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/zango-still-spyware-game/

ISS to integrate BitDefender

Big Blue adds anti-virus and anti-spyware to desktop security product.
Big Blue adds anti-virus and anti-spyware to desktop security product.IBM announced yesterday that its Internet Security Systems (ISS) subsidiary will be including anti-virus and… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/iss-integrate-bitdefender/

UK toughens law against DoS, tools

New law ups penalties for hacking, but could threaten security research.
New law ups penalties for hacking, but could threaten security research. The UK 'Police and Justice Bill 2006', introduced into UK law this month, has drawn some approval for its… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/uk-toughens-law-against-dos-tools/

Trojan planted on Chinese banking site

Backdoor dropper sneaked onto bank card operator's servers.
Backdoor dropper sneaked onto bank card operator's servers. News sources in China are reporting that the website of China UnionPay, a China-wide cross-bank credit card service used… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/trojan-planted-chinese-banking-site/

Worm targets Real Media files

McAfee warns of dangerous movies and music.
McAfee warns of dangerous movies and music. Researchers at McAfee's Avert Labs have warned of a new worm, dubbed 'W32/Realor', which doctors the contents of Real Media files… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/worm-targets-real-media-files/

Patch Tuesday vulnerability exploited

Attack developed within two days of disclosure.
Attack developed within two days of disclosure. The Workstation Service flaw announced and patched on Tuesday, one of the most critical vulnerabilities covered by Microsoft's… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/patch-tuesday-vulnerability-exploited/

Panda vulnerabilities revealed

ActiveScan remote access holes patched, details disclosed.
ActiveScan remote access holes patched, details disclosed. Several vulnerabilites have been found in Panda Software's ActiveScan product. The problems could be used to initiate a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/panda-vulnerabilities-revealed/

Firefox anti-phishing better, says Mozilla

Browser phishing filters battle for supremacy.
Browser phishing filters battle for supremacy.Mozilla has released results of an independently run test of phishing filters, in which its latest product, Firefox 2.0, is compared… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/firefox-anti-phishing-better-says-mozilla/

AVG, F-PROT suffer vulnerabilities

Reports of buffer overflows and other problems.
Reports of buffer overflows and other problems. A series of vulnerabilities have been discovered and patched in Grisoft's AVG Antivirus. Several issues with archive handling could… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/avg-f-prot-suffer-vulnerabilities/

Mobile firewalls released

Trend, F-Secure add extra layer to smartphone security.
Trend, F-Secure add extra layer to smartphone security. Two new products have been unveiled this week offering firewall protection for smartphones and PDAs, with both Trend Micro… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/mobile-firewalls-released/

Forefront Client reaches beta

Microsoft corporate security product goes into public test.
Microsoft corporate security product goes into public test.Microsoft's long-awaited corporate security suite, Forefront Client Security, has been released to public beta. The new… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/forefront-client-reaches-beta/

Courts shut down spyware pushers

Media Motor operation frozen by FTC case.
Media Motor operation frozen by FTC case. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has brought a case against the spyware operation Media Motor, with the company and its affiliates… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/courts-shut-down-spyware-pushers/

Russians dominate spammer top ten

Half of ten worst spammers from former USSR.
Half of ten worst spammers from former USSR. This week's list of the top ten 'worst spammers and spam gangs', released by spam fighters Spamhaus, is dominated by eastern Europeans,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2006/11/russians-dominate-spammer-top-ten/

We have placed cookies on your device in order to improve the functionality of this site, as outlined in our cookies policy. However, you may delete and block all cookies from this site and your use of the site will be unaffected. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to Virus Bulletin's use of data as outlined in our privacy policy.