VB Blog

We need to continue the debate on the ethics and perils of publishing security research

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 9, 2018

An article by security researcher Collin Anderson reopens the debate on whether publishing threat analyses is always in the public interest.

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WordPress users urged to manually update to fix bug that prevents automatic updating

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 8, 2018

Users of the popular WordPress content management system are urged to manually update their installation to version 4.9.4, as a bug in the previous version broke the ability to automatically install updates.

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New paper: A review of the evolution of Andromeda over the years

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 7, 2018

The Andromeda botnet (aka Gamarue or Wauchos) has plagued Internet users for more than half a decade but, following a takedown effort and the arrest of the suspected botnet owner in December 2017, it is likely we have seen the end of it. In a new paper by Fortinet researchers Bahare Sabouri and He Xu, we look back at the evolution of Andromeda from version 2.06 to 2.10 and demonstrate both how it improved its loader to evade automatic analysis/detection and how the payload varied among the different versions.

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There is no evidence in-the-wild malware is using Meltdown or Spectre

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 2, 2018

Reports of malware using the Meltdown or Spectre attacks are likely based on proof-of-concept code rather than files written for a malicious purpose.

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Throwback Thursday: Malware taking a bit(coin) more than we bargained for

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Feb 1, 2018

This Throwback Thursday, we republish the VB2012 paper by Microsoft researcher Amir Fouda, one of the earliest papers to look at malware targeting Bitcoin.

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First time speaker? Don't be afraid of submitting to the VB2018 CFP

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 31, 2018

We especially encourage those less experienced in speaking in public to submit to the call for papers for VB2018, where we aim to provide a friendly and welcoming environment in which people can both present their own research and learn from what others have been working on.

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VB2017 paper: VirusTotal tips, tricks and myths

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 25, 2018

At VB2017 in Madrid, security researcher Randy Abrams presented an overview of the VirusTotal service and then went on to bust several of the persistent myths that surround it. Today we publish both Randy's paper and the recording of his presentation.

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Healthcare CERTs highlight the need for security guidance for specific sectors

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 24, 2018

A new computer emergency response team has been launched in the Netherlands to provide guidance specifically tailored to the healthcare sector. Martijn Grooten welcomes the development.

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VB2018 call for papers now open!

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 23, 2018

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 VB2018 is now open and we want to hear from you!

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Book review: Serious Cryptography

Posted by   Martijn Grooten on   Jan 22, 2018

VB Editor Martijn Grooten recommends Jean-Philippe Aumasson's 'Serious Cryptography' as a very solid but practically focused introduction to cryptography.

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June

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/06/

School without thought

University course teaches students to write malware.
University course teaches students to write malware. The University of Calgary has announced very proudly on its website that a new undergraduate course will 'focus on developing… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/06/school-without-thought/

Military intelligence

US Army gets serious about anti-virus.
US Army gets serious about anti-virus. The US Army is using products supplied by Trend Micro to protect users of its Army Knowledge Online service from viruses, malicious content… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/04/military-intelligence/

Same old, same old

Virus writers plead stupidity...
Virus writers plead stupidity... Just days after his creation made its first appearance in the Wild, the suspected author of the Iraqi war-themed W32/Ganda worm has been tracked… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/04/same-old-same-old/

April

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/04/

Security in the classroom

Microsoft supporting secure code initiative at University of Leeds
Microsoft supporting secure code initiative at University of Leeds Microsoft seems to be taking security education seriously these days. The software company has pledged support -… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/04/security-classroom/

Lighter sentences for virus writers?

A US report claims that sentences for computer-related crimes are too harsh.
A US report claims that sentences for computer-related crimes are too harsh. The USA's largest group of defence lawyers has backed a report claiming that sentences for… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/03/lighter-sentences-virus-writers/

March

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/03/

Anti-virus for Lindows

Lindows teams up with Central Command to sell Linux anti-virus - a step in the right direction, but perhaps not far enough...
Lindows teams up with Central Command to sell Linux anti-virus - a step in the right direction, but perhaps not far enough... Of the Linux distributions, Lindows is possibly the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/02/anti-virus-lindows/

Symantec press release backfires

Watch out for your marketing department...
Watch out for your marketing department... It makes a change to be reporting on the under-hyping of a virus threat, rather than the usual story of anti-virus companies… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/02/symantec-press-release-backfires/

VB2003 programme announced

Details of the VB2003 conference programme announced ...
Details of the VB2003 conference programme announced ... Details of the VB2003 conference programme have been announced and are available online.VB2003 will host more than 30… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/02/programme-announced/

Calling all speakers

Submit your papers for VB2003 now!
Submit your papers for VB2003 now! Virus Bulletin has extended the deadline for submissions from those wishing to present at VB2003, the Thirteenth Virus Bulletin International… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/02/calling-all-speakers/

Standing up for free speech

NAI lands itself a hefty fine...
NAI lands itself a hefty fine... Network Associates Inc. (NAI) has landed itself a hefty fine to start the new year after a New York court ruled against the company last month in… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/02/standing-free-speech/

February

Anti-virus and security related news provided by independent anti-virus advisors, Virus Bulletin
https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/02/

Two years for three viruses

Author of Gokar, Redesi and Admirer jailed for two years.
Author of Gokar, Redesi and Admirer jailed for two years. Simon Vallor, a 22-year-old web designer from Wales, who pleaded guilty to creating and distributing a trio of… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/02/two-years-three-viruses/

Virus writers get a helping hand

Two organizations send viruses to mailing list subscribers...
Two organizations send viruses to mailing list subscribers... Despite the recent conviction of Welsh Wiccan Simon Vallor, for writing and distributing three mass-mailing viruses,… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/01/virus-writers-get-helping-hand/

W32/B(e)agle

VB predicts: 'Beagle's bark worse than its bite', 'Beware of Bagles in the morning', 'The Beagle has landed', ad nauseam.
VB predicts: 'Beagle's bark worse than its bite', 'Beware of Bagles in the morning', 'The Beagle has landed', ad nauseam. At first glance, W32/Bagle.A is not a particularly… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/01/w32-b-e-agle/

News summary...

Trend estimates $5b virus damage in 2003, monoculture blues, Symantec 'reels from week of mishaps', more MiMail, and more...
Trend estimates $5b virus damage in 2003, monoculture blues, Symantec 'reels from week of mishaps', more MiMail, and more... Trend Micro kicks off today's news summary with an… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/01/news-summary/

RIAA worm

RIAA allegedly buying worms to stop P2P piracy
RIAA allegedly buying worms to stop P2P piracy It would appear Gobbles Security has done it again, only this time under the guidance of everyone's favourite dark corporation, the… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/01/riaa-worm/

Microsoft rights management

What digital and information rights management may mean for the industry.
What digital and information rights management may mean for the industry. Microsoft is frequently accused of being a hive of lax security, but the company has been very public… https://www.virusbulletin.com/blog/2003/01/microsoft-rights-management/

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