VB Blog

School without thought - your thoughts

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Jun 30, 2003

Your thoughts on the University of Calgary's proposals to teach virus writing in its course on computer viruses and malware.

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Microsoft buys into AV

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Jun 10, 2003

Microsoft announces acquisition of anti-virus technology.

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School without thought

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Jun 1, 2003

University course teaches students to write malware.

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Military intelligence

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Apr 10, 2003

US Army gets serious about anti-virus.

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Same old, same old

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Apr 2, 2003

Virus writers plead stupidity...

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Security in the classroom

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Apr 1, 2003

Microsoft supporting secure code initiative at University of Leeds

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Lighter sentences for virus writers?

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Mar 3, 2003

A US report claims that sentences for computer-related crimes are too harsh.

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Anti-virus for Lindows

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Feb 20, 2003

Lindows teams up with Central Command to sell Linux anti-virus - a step in the right direction, but perhaps not far enough...

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Symantec press release backfires

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Feb 17, 2003

Watch out for your marketing department...

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VB2003 programme announced

Posted by   Virus Bulletin on   Feb 5, 2003

Details of the VB2003 conference programme announced ...

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VB2021 localhost call for last-minute papers

The call for last-minute papers for VB2021 localhost is now open. Submit before 20 August to have your paper considered for one of the slots reserved for 'hot' research!
Have you analysed a brand new online threat? Are you involved in cutting edge security research? Are you tasked with securing systems and fending off attacks and developing new… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2021/08/vb2021-localhost-call-last-minute-papers/

New article: Run your malicious VBA macros anywhere!

Kurt Natvig explains how he recompiled malicious VBA macro code to valid harmless Python 3.x code.
Office documents have over many decades been used to launch malware, often through macros, embedded content or exploits. Researcher Kurt Natvig wanted to understand whether… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2021/04/new-article-run-your-malicious-vba-macros-anywhere/

New article: Dissecting the design and vulnerabilities in AZORult C&C panels

In a new article, Aditya K Sood looks at the command-and-control (C&C) design of the AZORult malware, discussing his team's findings related to the C&C design and some security issues they identified.
Dissecting the Design and Vulnerabilities in AZORult C&C Panels Read the paper (HTML) Download the paper (PDF)   If you have some research you'd like to share with the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2021/04/new-article-dissecting-design-and-vulnerabilities-azorult-cc-panels/

VB2021 localhost call for papers: a great opportunity

VB2021 localhost presents an exciting opportunity to share your research with an even wider cross section of the IT security community around the world than usual, without having to take time out of your work schedule (or budget) to travel.
Earlier this week VB took the tough decision to cancel the in-person version of VB2021 in Prague. We had really hoped to be able to host an in-person event this year, but with… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2021/03/vb2021-localhost-call-papers-great-opportunity/

New article: Excel Formula/Macro in .xlsb?

In a follow-up to an article published last week, Kurt Natvig takes us through the analysis of a new malicious sample using the .xlsb file format.
Excel Formula/Macro in .xlsb? Read the paper (HTML) Download the paper (PDF)   Excel Formula, or XLM – does it ever stop giving pain to researchers? So asks Forcepoint… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2021/02/new-article-excel-formulamacro-xlsb/

New article: Decompiling Excel Formula (XF) 4.0 malware

In a new article, researcher Kurt Natvig takes a close look at XF 4.0 malware.
Decompiling Excel Formula (XF) 4.0 malware Read the paper (HTML) Download the paper (PDF)   Office malware has been around for a long time, but until recently Excel Formula… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2021/02/new-article-decompiling-excel-formula-xf-40-malware/

The Bagsu banker case - presentation

At VB2019, CSIS researcher Benoît Ancel spoke about a quiet banking trojan actor that has been targeting German users since at least 2014.
Some time ago, researchers at CSIS Security Group discovered the infrastructure of a "quiet" banking trojan actor that had been targeting German users since at least 2014. At… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2021/01/bagsu-banker-case-presentation/

VB2021 call for papers - now open, to all!

The call for papers for VB2021 is now open and we want to hear from you - we're planning for flexible presentation formats, so everyone is encouraged to submit, regardless of whether or not you know at this stage whether you'll be able to travel to Prague…
2020 proved to be an extraordinary – in the true sense of the word – year for everyone, and 2021 has already thrown some curveballs in the short few weeks since it began.… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2021/01/vb2021-call-papers-now-open-all/

In memoriam: Yonathan Klijnsma

We were very sorry to learn of the passing of researcher Yonathan Klijnsma last week. Here, former VB Editor Martijn Grooten shares his memories of a talented researcher and a very kind person: this month, infosec lost a really good one.
We were very sorry to learn of the passing of researcher Yonathan Klijnsma last week and we offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends. Here, former VB Editor Martijn… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2021/01/memoriam-yonathan-klijnsma/

VB2020 localhost videos available on YouTube

VB has made all VB2020 localhost presentations available on the VB YouTube channel, so you can now watch - and share - any part of the conference freely and without registration.
Today, VB has made all VB2020 localhost presentations available on VB's YouTube channel, so you can now watch – and share – any part of the conference freely and without… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2021/01/vb2020-localhost-videos-available-youtube/

VB2020 presentation & paper: 2030: backcasting the potential rise and fall of cyber threat intelligence

At VB2020 localhost, threat intelligence consultant Jamie Collier used the analytical technique of backcasting to look at the rise and fall of the cyber threat intelligence industry.
Backcasting is an analytical technique that establishes an imagined future scenario and then works backwards to understand what caused that outcome. At VB2020, FireEye's Jamie… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2020/12/vb2020-presentation-paper-2030-backcasting-potential-rise-and-fall-cyber-threat-intelligence/

VB2020 presentation: Behind the Black Mirror: simulating attacks with mock C2 servers

At VB2020 localhost, Carbon Black's Scott Knight presented an approach he and his colleagues have taken to more realistically simulate malware attacks.
Dynamic analysis of a malicious sample in a lab setup can be hampered by the absence of the malware's C2 server listening and providing responses – potentially resulting in only a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2020/12/vb2020-presentation-behind-black-mirror-simulating-attacks-mock-c2-servers/

VB2020 presentation & paper: Advanced Pasta Threat: mapping threat actor usage of open-source offensive security tools

At VB2020, researcher Paul Litvak revealed how he put together a comprehensive map of threat actor use of open-source offensive security tools.
The development and publication of offensive security tools (OSTs) is a point of great controversy in the information security community: while some argue that releasing such… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2020/12/vb2020-presentation-paper-advanced-pasta-threat-mapping-threat-actor-usage-open-source-offensive-security-tools/

VB2020 presentation: Evolution of Excel 4.0 macro weaponization

At VB2020 localhost James Haughom, Stefano Ortolani and Baibhav Singh gave a presentation in which they described how XL4 macros are being weaponised and the evolution of the techniques used.
The use by attackers of legitimate Excel 4.0 (XL4) macros as a simple and reliable method to gain a foothold on a target network is becoming increasingly popular and presents a… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2020/11/vb2020-presentation-evolution-excel-40-macro-weaponization/

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