Microsoft To Automate Malware Classification

Kuzulu Kuhuru writes "Researchers in Microsoft's anti-malware engineering team are using distance measure and machine learning technologies to automate the process of classifying new strains of computer viruses, Trojans and other malicious software programs." From the article: "Microsoft's proposal will take a 'holistic approach' to tackle the classification problem, Lee said, pointing out that the machine learning aspects will deal with everything, from knowledge consumption, representation and storage, to classifier model generation and selection. It aims to consume knowledge about the malware sample efficiently and automatically and represent that knowledge in a form that results in minimal information loss. "

Comments

Fair's fair

[overshoot]

After all, the malware business is one of those "ecosystems" that's wholly dependent on Microsoft. Only fair that MS should offer a little direction to their clients.

Throwing in the towel

[noidentity]

Too bad the research isn't being done on ways to prevent malware. Apple could make good use of this: "Windows has so many viruses they need a computer to help sort through them all!"

This should be amusing

[PhotoBoy]

How long till we get headlines like "Microsoft's Malware Software Deletes Windows after identifying it as a security risk"?

Re:This should be amusing

[Mostly a lurker]

How long till we get headlines like "Microsoft's Malware Software Deletes Windows after identifying it as a security risk"?

Indefinitely. Why should we expect such accurate results from a Microsoft written tool?

Next Topic: Microsoft's plans to eliminate piracy

[PrescriptionWarning]

To combat pirates Microsoft plans to employ a full clan of Ninjas. According to latest polls Ninjas always have at least a 2 to 1 following compared to those who prefer pirates. These Microsoft Ninjas will be trained in all the dark arts, including, but not limited to, poisoning Pirate rum, placing explosive powders in their parrots, and using biological weapons such as scurvy induced rats. Psychological war will also be waged as the Ninjas use cardboard cutouts of themselves hidden throughout the pirate ships.

Easy...

[WebfishUK]

if (strcmp(product.ID, "MICROSOFT"))
      exec("DeleteTheBastard.bat");

Data gathering

[LoonyMike]

How will they collect all the data they need for this? - what OS versions are infected, what are the worms trying to do, etc.

I bet a little help from the MSUpdate ActiveX will be welcome, after all "When you check for updates, basic information about your computer, not you, is used to determine which updates your programs need".
You don't need to know what's going on, just relax and trust them.

Re:Priorities?

[Savage-Rabbit]

Is it just me, or are there more people that think that instead of getting busy automating the process of classifying new strains of computer viruses, Trojans and other malicious software programs, maybe they should address the cause of the problem first?

I'm not sure that training enough high class .NET certified MSCA ratified ninja commando teams to assasinate all those thousands of malware authors and spam kings would be a financially viable proposition for Microsoft. Using a fully automated self classifying system to build a proper threat library which can later be fed to mass manufactured hunter killer bots and android terminators sounds like a much more cost effective approach.

wtf!

[Observador]

I was reading the slashdot feed on my cell and the title only showed:

microsoft to automate malware

and I went like: wtf! haven't they done enough already?

mind you, not an hour ago I was removing over a hundred pieces of malware that a client had. all of them on just two machines...

And we all know why

[tbone1]

It's easier to say something isn't a threat than to actually, you know, do something about it.

"That isn't cancer, Mrs. Jones, we've redefined it as a sniffle."

Super, a holistic approach

[LordSnooty]

Now Microsoft engineers sound like my PHB.