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Adventures in Contacting the Russian FSB

Krebs on Security

In the process of doing so, I encountered a small snag: The FSB’s website said in order to communicate with them securely, I needed to download and install an encryption and virtual private networking (VPN) appliance that is flagged by at least 20 antivirus products as malware. The FSB headquarters at Lubyanka Square, Moscow.

Antivirus 336
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Spam Kingpin Peter Levashov Gets Time Served

Krebs on Security

One was Alan Ralsky , an American spammer who was convicted in 2009 of paying Severa and other spammers to promote pump-and-dump stock scams. Severa ran several affiliate programs that paid cybercriminals to trick people into installing fake antivirus software. In this paid ad from 2004, Severa lists prices to rent his spam botnet.

Antivirus 332
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Why Malware Crypting Services Deserve More Scrutiny

Krebs on Security

If you operate a cybercrime business that relies on disseminating malicious software, you probably also spend a good deal of time trying to disguise or “crypt” your malware so that it appears benign to antivirus and security products. In 2010, someone with the username Pepyak on the Russian language affiliate forum GoFuckBiz[.]com

Malware 251
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Ask Fitis, the Bear: Real Crooks Sign Their Malware

Krebs on Security

Megatraffer explained that malware purveyors need a certificate because many antivirus products will be far more interested in unsigned software, and because signed files downloaded from the Internet don’t tend to get blocked by security features built into modern web browsers. “Antivirus software trusts signed programs more.

Malware 283
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Operator of Scan4You Malware-Scanning sentenced to 14 Years in prison

Security Affairs

The Latvian expert Ruslans Bondars (37), who developed and run the counter antivirus service Scan4You has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. Scan4you is a VirusTotal like online multi-engine antivirus scanning service that could be used by vxers to test evasion abilities of their malware against the major antiviruses.

Malware 111
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F-Secure to acquire Lookout Mobile Security

CyberSecurity Insiders

Lookout, which established itself in business in 2009, offers Mobile Endpoint Security solutions with millions of users and hundreds of millions in funding. Although the financial terms are yet to be disclosed on an official note, unconfirmed sources state that the deal is to be valued at $224 million, all in cash.

Mobile 99
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‘Spam Nation’ Villain Vrublevsky Charged With Fraud

Krebs on Security

When I first began writing about Vrublevsky in 2009 as a reporter for The Washington Post , ChronoPay and its sister firm Red & Partners (RNP) were earning millions setting up payment infrastructure for fake antivirus peddlers and spammers pimping male enhancement drugs.

Banking 202