UK pair arrested for running counter anti-virus site

Two 22 year-olds have been arrested by British police, suspected of running a website which assisted malware authors to hide their programs from anti-virus products.

The site, known as reFUD.me, appears to have started operation in February this year, when it was advertised in malware writer forums on the internet. 

It offered malware writers the ability to upload and scan files, and check if they would be detected by 30 to 40 well-known anti-virus products. 

If a piece of malware was detected, the writers could modify it, as well as use the Cryptex Reborn packaging and encryption tool to make the malicious code FUD or Fully UnDetectable by anti-virus utilities.

More than 1.2 million counter anti-virus scans were conducted since February, the site operators claimed. ReFUD.me offered both free and paid-for services.

Malware developers had the option of paying licence fees for the Cryptex Reborn service, ranging from US$20 (A$28) per month to US$90 (A$125) for lifetime usage.

The unnamed pair from Colchester, Essex, were apprehended following an investigation by UK's National Crime Agency assisted by security vendor Trend Micro.