Automated fuzzy hash based signature collecting system for malware detection

1. A system, comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive a set of candidate fuzzy hashes corresponding to a set of false negative samples;

perform a false positive reduction analysis on the received set of candidate fuzzy hashes to generate a reduced set of fuzzy hashes;

cluster, by a progressive clustering module, at least a portion of the reduced set of fuzzy hashes into a fuzzy hash cluster, wherein the progressive clustering module also considers, during the clustering, a set of previously identified false negatives, wherein the set of previously identified false negatives: (1) previously survived false positive filtering, (2) were previously evaluated by the progressive clustering module, and (3) were not selected for signature generation; and

generate a signature for a family of malware based at least in part on the fuzzy hash cluster; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to filter out at least one fuzzy hash cluster based at least in part on a similarity match with an existing signature.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein performing the false positive reduction analysis includes performing a pairwise comparison between a candidate fuzzy hash included in the set of candidate fuzzy hashes and a fuzzy hash of a known benign sample.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein performing the false positive reduction analysis includes removing from consideration a fuzzy hash of a sample that is an infections virus.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein generating the signature includes selecting a representative fuzzy hash from the fuzzy hash cluster.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein generating the signature includes comparing the signature against a store of existing signatures.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the generated signature is usable by a data appliance to determine whether a file is malicious.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to use the generated signature to detect a new malware family.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving a set of candidate fuzzy hashes corresponding to a set of false negative samples;

performing a false positive reduction analysis on the received set of candidate fuzzy hashes to generate a reduced set of fuzzy hashes;

clustering, by a progressive clustering module, at least a portion of the reduced set of fuzzy hashes into a fuzzy hash cluster, wherein the progressive clustering module also considers, during the clustering, a set of previously identified false negatives, wherein the set of previously identified false negatives: (1) previously survived false positive filtering, (2) were previously evaluated by the progressive clustering module, and (3) were not selected for signature generation; and

generating a signature for a family of malware based at least in part on the fuzzy hash cluster.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising filtering out at least one fuzzy hash cluster based at least in part on a similarity match with an existing signature.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein performing the false positive reduction analysis includes performing a pairwise comparison between a candidate fuzzy hash included in the set of candidate fuzzy hashes and a fuzzy hash of a known benign sample.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein performing the false positive reduction analysis includes removing from consideration a fuzzy hash of a sample that is an infections virus.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the signature includes selecting a representative fuzzy hash from the fuzzy hash cluster.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the signature includes comparing the signature against a store of existing signatures.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the generated signature is usable by a data appliance to determine whether a file is malicious.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising using the generated signature to detect a new malware family.

17. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a set of candidate fuzzy hashes corresponding to a set of false negative samples;

performing a false positive reduction analysis on the received set of candidate fuzzy hashes to generate a reduced set of fuzzy hashes;

clustering, by a progressive clustering module, at least a portion of the reduced set of fuzzy hashes into a fuzzy hash cluster, wherein the progressive clustering module also considers during the clustering, a set of previously identified false negatives, wherein the set of previously identified false negatives: (1) previously survived false positive filtering, (2) were previously evaluated by the progressive clustering module, and (3) were not selected for signature generation; and

generating a signature for a family of malware based at least in part on the fuzzy hash cluster.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , further comprising computer instructions for filtering out at least one fuzzy hash cluster based at least in part on a similarity match with an existing signature.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 , further comprising computer instructions for using the generated signature to detect a new malware family.