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posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday August 20 2019, @02:19AM   Printer-friendly
from the don't-watch-anything dept.

Submitted via IRC for SoyCow2718

Most employees have some awareness about malware attacks. Many probably know that you should never open an executable file from a stranger or install a thumb drive found in the parking lot, for example. But videos, or links to videos, can deliver malware just like that executable or thumb drive. Do your employees know this too? And even if they do know it, will they be tricked into chasing malicious videos anyway?

Here's why it's time to start focusing on video malware.

[...] The video habit (or addiction) in our culture has paved the way for video malware — malicious code embedded into video files. Video malware is part of a larger trend toward more effective stealth in the delivery of malware. It's also the latest, and probably the most interesting, example of malicious steganography — the embedding of something secret inside some other medium. When the medium is an executable file, it's called stegware.

Malware has been embedded in still-image file formats, such as JPG, PNG and BMP formats, for years. Now, it appears that video malware is having a moment.

Source: https://securityintelligence.com/articles/how-video-became-a-dangerous-delivery-vehicle-for-malware-attacks/


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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by DutchUncle on Tuesday August 20 2019, @03:52PM (5 children)

    by DutchUncle (5370) on Tuesday August 20 2019, @03:52PM (#882637)

    Once upon a time there were clear distinctions between "data files" and "executable files" (including "executable"-ness limited to a scripting language restricted to the application). Scripting systems like VisiCalc and Lotus started accessing outside their context, which was dangerous but at least still clearly "executable". The problem started when Microsoft thought it would be clever for documents and pictures to become "active". Blurring distinctions looks like a convenience feature, just like it's so much more convenient to leave your door unlocked so you don't have to bother taking out your keys.

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  • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday August 20 2019, @04:19PM (4 children)

    by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday August 20 2019, @04:19PM (#882653) Journal

    The security model of ActiveX was that it required code singing. If someone did something bad, then where did they get their code singing certificate from?

    Other than requiring code to be signed sung there was no security. It's just an executable ma'am.

    --
    People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
    • (Score: 2) by Pino P on Thursday August 22 2019, @02:42PM (1 child)

      by Pino P (4721) on Thursday August 22 2019, @02:42PM (#883635) Journal

      Where is the hobbyist developer of a good-faith free software project supposed to get a code signing certificate? Is finding a corporate sponsor the preferred way?

      • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday August 22 2019, @03:17PM

        by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday August 22 2019, @03:17PM (#883666) Journal

        Just spend the $800 or thereabout to get the code signing certificate.

        Obviously Microsoft did not think this through carefully. But that should be obvious by the fact that certificates and code signing do not make an actual security model.

        --
        People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
    • (Score: 2) by DutchUncle on Friday August 23 2019, @02:47PM (1 child)

      by DutchUncle (5370) on Friday August 23 2019, @02:47PM (#884124)

      >>>> code singing

      After "literate programming" and "extreme programming" and "pair programming" and "agile programming", some good communal code singing sounds great. Maybe around a campfire.

      • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 23 2019, @03:45PM

        by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Friday August 23 2019, @03:45PM (#884167) Journal

        A pyre to the passing of Microsoft. Who gaveth us ActiveX.

        --
        People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.