Here are this week’s updates for VirusZoo.

We are already past 300 registered users, thanks everyone!

New viruses are going to be available in the database soon, including Vundo.H and Conflicker, as suggested by a few members.

Thanks again for all your feedback, keep sharing your infections, and follow us on Twitter!

Thanks everyone!

Keep spreading the word, using our share page, and check out the infection map!

(Not registered yet? See what you’re missing by registering now.)

• Twitter
• SecurityFocus
• DSL Reports
• Infosecurity
• Avast Forums
• Security Scene Team
• Security.NL

Here is a discussion about VirusZoo on DSL Reports with a few good points. Do you have any questions you want to add to the discussion?

Umm, are these virtual machines isolated from the Internets?
Real question: Are these infected VMs spreading malware to others on the Internets?
If they’re online, you’ll get a better idea of what’s going on at the cost of potentially infecting others. If they’re isolated, then you won’t get a 100% true representation. And if the virus/malware runs in stealth, screenshots are pointless.
"A safe and fun way to play with viruses." — there is no such thing as a safe way to play with viruses… wonder when this’ll bite them in the butt.
What the hell is the point of this?

And a few of my answers about the concerns:

-The virtual machine is NOT connected to the internet. The host machine (Mac OS X with firewall) IS connected, but the VM software (VMWare Fusion) has it’s networking DISABLED.
-There is no target audience for this project, it’s for whoever find it interesting or useful.
-There is no point to this project either, just a for fun
-I am working on an "upload your own virus" feature, it shouldn’t be too long.
-I had planed to have a tool on the VM that detects what files / registry entries are being modified. I’ll look into it if I have the time.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know!

Read the rest of the discussion at DSL Reports.

• Twitter
• SecurityFocus
• DSL Reports
• Infosecurity
• Avast Forums
• Security Scene Team
• Security.NL

 
Cool, VirusZoo got mentioned on SecurityFocus!

 
VirusZoo aims for safe infections
http://www.securityfocus.com/brief/1047

Computer users who have never had the misfortune to infect their system with malicious software can now see screenshots of a real-time virus infections, thanks to the efforts of a team of Web designers.

The cloud service, dubbed VirusZoo, allows registered users to select a real malicious program, infect a virtual system, and get screenshots of the result, according to SkyRiser Media, the group behind the effort. The programmers use a virtual machine running on the Mac OS X Snow Leopard operating system to host an instance of the Windows operating system. Using viruses culled from BitTorrent, the group allows users to select a piece of malicious code and run the program.

"Don’t worry, there is no risk of infecting your own computer on this site," said Chris Comeau, one of the site’s creators.

Comeau is not a security practitioner, but works as a game programmer and Web developer. he said. He came up with the idea to create the site a few months ago. The site is currently in beta and runs on a separate machine than the virtual system that users compromise.

While the Web site does not teach users how to protect their systems, it seems to be configured safely, says Vincent Weafer, vice president of security firm Symantec, which owns SecurityFocus.

"It is kind of a neat little feature idea," Weafer said. "It is a cool way to show people what an infection looks like."

VirusZoo.com is now available as a public beta!

Please register, infect the site, share with friends and give us some feedback.

Thanks and happy infecting!

VirusZoo Team
info@viruszoo.com
http://www.viruszoo.com/