Malware News 75% of Malware Uploaded on “No-Distribute” Scanners Is Unknown to Researchers

LASER_oneXM

Level 37
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Feb 4, 2016
2,520
Three-quarters of malware samples uploaded to "no-distribute scanners" are never shared on "multiscanners" like VirusTotal, and hence, they remain unknown to security firms and researchers for longer periods of time.

Although some antivirus products will eventually detect this malware at runtime or at one point or another later in time, this leaves a gap in terms of operational insight for security firms hunting down up-and-coming malware campaigns.

What are multiscanners and no-distribute scanners?

A multiscanner is a service like Google's VirusTotal that aggregates antivirus (AV) scanning engines into one big melting pot, allowing users to upload a suspicious file and scan it simultaneously on all the AV engines hosted on the service.

If at least one of the multiscanner's engines finds the file suspicious, the service shares the result among all AV companies, allowing cyber-security firms insight on new types of malware that their engines are not currently detecting.

On the other hand, a no-distribute scanner is a service similar to a multiscanner, only that its operators modify the AV engines so they cannot report back to their respective vendors, hence limiting their ability to see the malware uploaded on such a service.
 

vtqhtr413

Level 26
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Aug 17, 2017
1,454
Quote "On the other hand, a no-distribute scanner is a service similar to a multiscanner, only that its operators modify the AV engines so they cannot report back to their respective vendors, hence limiting their ability to see the malware uploaded on such a service."

What is the arrangement between the no-distribute operators and the vendors of the scan engines they use, monetary? It seem's to me these vendors should demand some degree of cooperation.
 

About us

  • MalwareTips is a community-driven platform providing the latest information and resources on malware and cyber threats. Our team of experienced professionals and passionate volunteers work to keep the internet safe and secure. We provide accurate, up-to-date information and strive to build a strong and supportive community dedicated to cybersecurity.

User Menu

Follow us

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to know first about the latest cybersecurity incidents and malware threats.

Top