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Yun Dong-jin, Yonhap via AP, File In this Monday, May 15, 2017, file photo, employees watch electronic boards to monitor possible ransomware cyberattacks at the Korea Internet and Security Agency in Seoul, South Korea. Unable to rely on good human behavior, computer security experts are developing software techniques to fight ransomware. But getting these protections in the hands of users is challenging. By The Associated Press June 28, 2017 at 11:44 pm [twp_denver_2018_aw.jpg] Sign up for newsletters and alerts Submit your news tips or photos Most Popular 1. Body found near South Platte River identified as missing 29-year-old Adam Gilbertson 2. Broncos WR Carlos Henderson arrested in Louisiana for marijuana possession 3. Arvada police pursue, kill suspect near Interstate 70 4. The Warriors-Cavaliers rivalry is now so lopsided, it’s hardly a rivalry at all 5. Suburbs north of Denver have “come of age” with explosive growth along I-25 corridor 6. Denver police investigating homicide on South Federal Boulevard By Anick Jesdanun, The Associated Press NEW YORK — Twice in the space of six weeks, the world has suffered major attacks of ransomware — malicious software that locks up photos and other files stored on your computer, then demands money to release them. It’s clear that the world needs better defenses, and fortunately those are starting to emerge, if slowly and in patchwork fashion. When they arrive, we may have artificial intelligence to thank. Ransomware isn’t necessary trickier or more dangerous than other malware that sneaks onto your computer, but it can be much more aggravating, and at times devastating. Most such infections don’t get in your face about taking your digital stuff away from you the way ransomware does, nor do they shake you down for hundreds of dollars or more. Despite those risks, many people just aren’t good at keeping up with security software updates. Both recent ransomware attacks walloped those who failed to install a Windows update released a few months earlier. Watchdog security software has its problems, too. With this week’s ransomware attack , only two of about 60 security services tested caught it at first, according to security researchers. “A lot of normal applications, especially on Windows, behave like malware, and it’s hard to tell them apart,” said Ryan Kalember, an expert at the California security vendor Proofpoint. Related Articles * January 15, 2018 Auto-play ads coming to an end with Google Chrome update expected in January * January 13, 2018 Pizza Hut says driverless delivery will create more jobs * January 13, 2018 Crypto mania turns mainstream as stock frenzy reaches new phase * January 13, 2018 Las Vegas hotels bet on technology to attract, dazzle guests * January 13, 2018 Retail workers feel disruption from shifting shopper habits HOW TO FIND MALWARE In the early days, identifying malicious programs such as viruses involved matching their code against a database of known malware. But this technique was only as good as the database; new malware variants could easily slip through. So security companies started characterizing malware by its behavior. In the case of ransomware, software could look for repeated attempts to lock files by encrypting them. But that can flag ordinary computer behavior such as file compression. Newer techniques involve looking for combinations of behaviors. For instance, a program that starts encrypting files without showing a progress bar on the screen could be flagged for surreptitious activity, said Fabian Wosar, chief technology officer at the New Zealand security company Emsisoft. But that also risks identifying harmful software too late, after some files have already been locked up. An even better approach identifies malware using observable characteristics usually associated with malicious intent — for instance, by quarantining a program disguised with a PDF icon to hide its true nature. This sort of malware profiling wouldn’t rely on exact code matches, so it couldn’t be easily evaded. And such checks could be made well before potentially dangerous programs start running. MACHINE VS. MACHINE Still, two or three characteristics might not properly distinguish malware from legitimate software. But how about dozens? Or hundreds? Or even thousands? For that, security researchers turn to machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence. The security system analyzes samples of good and bad software and figures out what combination of factors is likely to be present in malware. As it encounters new software, the system calculates the probability that it’s malware, and rejects those that score above a certain threshold. When something gets through, it’s a matter of tweaking the calculations or adjusting the threshold. Now and then, researchers see a new behavior to teach the machine. AN ARMS RACE On the flip side, malware writers can obtain these security tools and tweak their code to see if they can evade detection. Some websites already offer to test software against leading security systems. Eventually, malware authors may start creating their own machine-learning models to defeat security-focused artificial intelligence. Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder and chief technology officer at the California vendor CrowdStrike, said that even if a particular system offers 99 percent protection, “it’s just a math problem of how many times you have to deviate your attack to get that 1 percent.” Still, security companies employing machine learning have claimed success in blocking most malware, not just ransomware. SentinelOne even offers a $1 million guarantee against ransomware; it hasn’t had to pay it yet. A FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGE So why was ransomware still able to spread in recent weeks? Garden-variety anti-virus software — even some of the free versions — can help block new forms of malware, as many are also incorporating behavioral-detection and machine-learning techniques. But such software still relies on malware databases that users aren’t typically good at keeping up to date. Next-generation services such as CrowdStrike, SentinelOne and Cylance tend to ditch databases completely in favor of machine learning. But these services focus on corporate customers, charging $40 to $50 a year per computer. Smaller businesses often don’t have the budget — or the focus on security — for that kind of protection. And forget consumers; these security companies aren’t selling to them yet. Though Cylance plans to release a consumer version in July, it says it’ll be a tough sell — at least until someone gets attacked personally or knows a friend or family member who has. As Cylance CEO Stuart McClure puts it: “When you haven’t been hit with a tornado, why would you get tornado insurance?” * Tags: * artificial intelligence * cybersecurity * malware * ransomware * Windows More in Technology * It's part of Google's push to support the Coalition for Better Ads (mentioned in an earlier Tech+), an industry group that realized digital ads were being ignored because too many people have ad-blockers. Auto-play ads coming to an end with Google Chrome update expected in January January 15, 2018, 5:00 am It’s part of Google’s push to support the Coalition for Better Ads (mentioned in an earlier Tech+), an industry group that realized digital ads were being ignored because too many people have ad-blockers. * This Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016, file ... Pizza Hut says driverless delivery will create more jobs January 13, 2018, 8:27 pm Earlier this week, Pizza Hut unveiled plans to launch a fleet of driverless delivery vans – a sign that automation has reached the world of greasy comfort food. Then the chain did something pizza makers rarely do: It offered an economic theory on Twitter. * It's one thing for an iced-tea maker or a furniture company to reap massive returns simply by rebranding with blockchain or adding a digital currency, but now some household names are joining in on the craze. Crypto mania turns mainstream as stock frenzy reaches new phase January 13, 2018, 8:14 pm It’s one thing for an iced-tea maker or a furniture company to reap massive returns simply by rebranding with blockchain or adding a digital currency, but now some household names are joining in on the craze. * In this Nov. 15, 2017, photo, a robot named Pepper stands in the lobby of the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas. Pepper is programmed to interact with guests and answer pre-programmed questions. Las Vegas hotels bet on technology to attract, dazzle guests January 13, 2018, 8:08 pm It takes just minutes for a room service attendant to respond to a text message asking for a soda, bringing the Diet Coke on a tray with a glass of ice and lime wedges, no need for the modern hassle of placing a phone call. * Member Services * News Alerts * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * RSS * Subscribe + Become a Member / Subscribe + Place a Hold + Denver Post Store + Digital Replica Edition * Classifieds + Autos + Real Estate + Jobs + Today’s Ads + Weekly Ads + Daily Ads + Special Sections * Contact Us + Submit a News Tip + Member Services + Advertise With Us + Careers + Place an Obituary * Today’s Front Page + Back Issues + Archives + Mobile Apps * Copyright © 2017 Digital First Media * Privacy Policy * Terms of Use * Site Map * Ethics Policy * Powered by WordPress.com VIP * Arbitration Send to Email Address ____________________ Your Name ____________________ Your Email Address ____________________ _________________________ loading Send Email Cancel Post was not sent - check your email addresses! 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