VB Blog

Virus Bulletin announces platinum sponsors for VB2015

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Dec 16, 2014

More sponsorship opportunities available.

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VB2014 paper: Smart home appliance security and malware

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Dec 15, 2014

Jeongwook Oh demonstrates how to hack a Samsung smart TV.

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Virus Bulletin is hiring

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Dec 8, 2014

VB seeks a Perl Developer / Security Engineer.

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Conference report: VB2014

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Nov 28, 2014

The biggest and broadest ranging Virus Bulletin conference ever was a great success.

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VB2014 paper: Labelling spam through the analysis of protocol patterns

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Nov 26, 2014

What do your IP packet sizes say about whether you're a spammer?

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Detekt tool searches PCs for traces of surveillance spyware

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Nov 24, 2014

Second opinion essential in circumstances under which likely victims operate.

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Multi-staged, modular Regin tool enables stealthy surveillance

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Nov 24, 2014

Nation state likely behind campaign that goes back many years.

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VB2014 paper: Sweeping the IP space: the hunt for evil on the Internet

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Nov 21, 2014

Dhia Mahjoub explains how the topology of the AS graph can be used to uncover hotspots of maliciousness.

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Botconf 2014 preview

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Nov 21, 2014

Many VB authors and presenters to speak at second botnet-fighting conference.

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Report: VB100 comparative review on Windows 8.1

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Nov 20, 2014

40 out of 48 tested products earn VB100 award.

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VirusTotal project aims to remediate false positives

Security vendors to receive alerts when legitimate files are detected as malicious.
Security vendors to receive alerts when legitimate files are detected as malicious.False positives are a huge problem for the IT industry in general and for security products in… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/02/virustotal-project-aims-remediate-false-positives/

VB2014 paper: P0wned by a barcode: stealing money from offline users

Fabio Assolini explains how cybercriminals are targeting boletos.
Fabio Assolini explains how cybercriminals are targeting boletos.Since the close of the VB2014 conference in Seattle in October, we have been sharing VB2014 conference papers as… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/02/paper-p0wned-barcode-stealing-money-offline-users/

VB2014 paper: We know it before you do: predicting malicious domains

Wei Xu and his colleagues attempt to block domains before they're used for bad purposes.
Wei Xu and his colleagues attempt to block domains before they're used for bad purposes.Since the close of the VB2014 conference in Seattle in October, we have been sharing VB2014… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/02/paper-we-know-it-you-do-predicting-malicious-domains/

Adobe issues patch for yet another Flash Player zero-day

CVE-2015-0313 used in the wild as long ago as December.
CVE-2015-0313 used in the wild as long ago as December. Adobe has just issued an out-of-band patch for its Flash Player to fix a zero-day vulnerability that is actively being… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/02/adobe-issues-patch-yet-another-flash-player-zero-day/

Praise for the unsung heroes of email

Many decent performances in VB's latest comparative spam filter test.
Many decent performances in VB's latest comparative spam filter test. A decade ago, there were optimists who thought that the spam problem would soon be eradicated. At the same… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/02/praise-unsung-heroes-email/

Low VirusTotal detection rates for new malware, do they matter?

It is not as important as is often suggested — and doesn't mean the malware is allowed to execute.
It is not as important as is often suggested — and doesn't mean the malware is allowed to execute. It is fairly common these days for security researchers to write about new… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/02/low-virustotal-detection-rates-new-malware-do-they-matter/

'RansomWeb' ransomware targets companies' databases

Encryption first added as a patch, key only removed when all backups are encrypted.
Encryption first added as a patch, key only removed when all backups are encrypted. Make backups, they said. Then you won't have to worry about ransomware, they said. Ransomware… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/02/ransomweb-ransomware-targets-companies-databases/

From roadie to security rock star: it can happen

To break into security, start by getting a job in the industry.
To break into security, start by getting a job in the industry. You don't have to be a regular reader of this blog to know that computer security is very important in our… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/02/roadie-security-rock-star-it-can-happen/

February

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/02/

Frequently asked questions about VB2015 conference submissions

No, it doesn't have to be about malware and no, it doesn't have to be deeply technical either!
No, it doesn't have to be about malware and no, it doesn't have to be deeply technical either! Last month, we opened the call for papers for VB2015, the 25th Virus Bulletin… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/frequently-asked-questions-about-conference-submissions/

VB2014 paper: Ubiquitous Flash, ubiquitous exploits and ubiquitous mitigation

Chun Feng and Elia Florio analyse two Flash Player vulnerabilities and an IE one where Flash provides a helping hand.
Chun Feng and Elia Florio analyse two Flash Player vulnerabilities and an IE one where Flash provides a helping hand.Since the close of the VB2014 conference in Seattle in October,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/paper-ubiquitous-flash-ubiquitous-exploits-and-ubiquitous-mitigation/

Linux systems affected by 'GHOST' vulnerability

Proof-of-concept email gives remote access to Exim mail server.
Proof-of-concept email gives remote access to Exim mail server. If you administer Linux-based systems, you'd better schedule some time for patching, as a serious buffer overflow… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/linux-systems-affected-ghost-vulnerability/

VB2014 paper: Design to discover: security analytics with 3D visualization engine

Thibault Reuille and Dhia Mahjoub use DNS data to look for clusters of malicious domains.
Thibault Reuille and Dhia Mahjoub use DNS data to look for clusters of malicious domains.Since the close of the VB2014 conference in Seattle in October, we have been sharing VB2014… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/paper-design-discover-security-analytics-3d-visualization-engine/

Adobe to patch Flash Player zero-day next week

Patch due next week as malvertising leads to Bedep trojan downloader.
Patch due next week as malvertising leads to Bedep trojan downloader. As the news of a zero-day vulnerability in Adobe's Flash Player actively being exploited reached the security… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/adobe-patch-flash-player-zero-day-next-week/

Alleged Flash Player zero-day used in Angler exploit kit

Adobe 'investigating reports'.
Adobe 'investigating reports'.Vulnerable browser plug-ins are one of the most important infection vectors, which is why it is so important to keep them up to date. If you don't,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/alleged-flash-player-zero-day-used-angler-exploit-kit/

Research paper profiles victims of targeted attacks

Large organisations working in national security and international affairs run highest risk.
Large organisations working in national security and international affairs run highest risk. Anyone can be a target of cybercriminal attacks these days. But some are bigger targets… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/research-paper-profiles-victims-targeted-attacks/

Paper: Nesting doll: unwrapping Vawtrak

Raul Alvarez unwraps the many layers of an increasingly prevalent banking trojan.
Raul Alvarez unwraps the many layers of an increasingly prevalent banking trojan. Banking trojans remain one of the most prevalent kinds of malware. Among them, trojans based on… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/paper-nesting-doll-unwrapping-vawtrak/

VB2014 paper: OPSEC for security researchers

Vicente Diaz teaches researchers the basics of OPSEC.
Vicente Diaz teaches researchers the basics of OPSEC.Since the close of the VB2014 conference in Seattle in October, we have been sharing VB2014 conference papers as well as video… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/paper-opsec-security-researchers/

WhatsApp spam on the rise

End-to-end encryption makes spam filtering more difficult.
End-to-end encryption makes spam filtering more difficult. Spam sent through the WhatsApp messaging service is on the rise, mobile security firm AdaptiveMobile reports. This news… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/whatsapp-spam-rise/

What would Cameron's 'anti-terrorism' proposals mean for the UK?

Proposals could cause serious damage to business and the economy, and are unlikely to stop terrorism.
Proposals could cause serious damage to business and the economy, and are unlikely to stop terrorism. This week, in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the French offices of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2015/01/what-would-cameron-s-anti-terrorism-proposals-mean-uk/

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