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The Rise of Polymorphic Malware
twoheadedboy writes "The level of aggressive, polymorphic malware intercepted by Symantec doubled in July, when compared to figures from six months ago. This kind of malware has been typically found inside an executable within an attached ZIP file disguised as a PDF file, and is pretty darn good at getting around traditional anti-virus products. 'There are powerful Darwinian forces acting on the development of malware by criminals,' said Martin Lee, senior software engineer at Symantec. 'Those who look to innovate and improve their malware tend to infect more computers and acquire the resources to reinvest in further development and innovation.'"
Polymorphic Software
Prerequisite: Industrial Base, Information Networks
Technology: Advanced Subatomic Theory, Optical Computers, Adaptive Doctrine
Special Ability: Heavy Artillery
Improves Probe Team success rate.
Track and Level: Discover 2
"Technological advance is an inherently iterative process. One does not simply take sand from the beach and produce a Dataprobe. We use crude tools to fashion better tools, and then our better tools to fashion more precise tools, and so on. Each minor refinement is a step in the process, and all of the steps must be taken."
-- Chairman Sheng-ji Yang,
"Looking God in the Eye"
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it dissolve.
Whale is more than 20 years old now, and it was polymorphic. An issue of 40hex from 1993 provides source for a polymorphic engine. This isn't a new development, the technique was "mastered" 20 years ago :P
Maybe they've seen a recent spike in it, but... who cares? Well, unless it means they'll put a little more thought into AV than signature-based bullshit. "heuristics"-based detection that isn't a complete joke, for a start.