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8 Apr 2010 16:02:24
There was a rare treat for MSc Computer Security and Forensics students who were joined by final year BSc Computer Security students.
Righard Zwienenberg, Chief Research Officer for Norman Data Defence, gave a masterclass on reverse engineering of malware and a chance for hands-on practical experience in actually analysing examples of recent malware.
Malware is software designed to infiltrate a computer system without the owner’s informed consent – the phrase ‘computer virus’ includes all types of malware.
This masterclass was as part of a series of external activities undertaken by students related to their courses. Others include visiting the 7Safe offices in Cambridgeshire for a tour of their forensic laboratories and a hands-on training session in their training centre on security testing techniques.
Norman Data Defence is a global company which was founded in Norway with offices around the world. Its products are used by companies like MessageLabs (Symantec), eEye Digital Security, and Microsoft among others to help protect their customers.
Computer Science and Technology Infrastructure Manager Geraint Williams said: “Norman researches malware to identify its purpose, its authors, how it functions, how it infects computers, how it propagates and how it is controlled in order to provide signatures and behavioural analysis that can be used to update anti-malware software to ensure computers are protected.
“They also provide evidence to law enforcement to aid in the prosecution of the authors of the malware.”
The talk gave an insight to the students of how the anti-malware industry strives to identify and prevent threats to computers.
And the hands-on demonstration gave students experience with using the latest software being deployed in the fight against cybercrime.
It also showed how investigators can monitor, analyse and eventually take down botnets, prevent infections spreading and give evidence which can be used to prosecute malware authors.
One of the MSc students, Wede Oriwoh, said: “It was very enlightening and delivered like Righard knew what he was talking about!
“It will be invaluable to security professionals and security hobbyists, especially those who want to understand computers and malware and the activities of the latter at the lowest level - the machine level.”
And a BSc student, Tim James-Hammond, said: “This was an informative and insightful glimpse into the world of malware detection and reverse engineering by one of the world’s leading malware specialists.”
