Joel Harrison
Joel Harrison joined INVISUS in 2001. He has held numerous senior technical positions throughout the company before landing in his current position as Senior Technology Analyst.
Homepage: http://www.invisus.com
Posts by Joel Harrison
Information on 100 Million Facebook Users Published Online
Jul 30th
If you are anything like 500 million other people, you have a Facebook account. I admit, I do. I think Facebook has many useful purposes. I can share my photos and videos with family that live all over the world. I can keep in contact with friends I haven’t seen since high school, and make new friends with those that have the same interests as me.
With so much good that can come from Facebook and other social networking sites, we can’t ignore the security and privacy risks. No matter how hard developers of these sites try, they will never be More >
Do You Know What Your Kids Are Doing Online?
Jul 29th
Let’s face it, parental control software can be a hassle sometimes. Blocking legitimate sites as well as letting explicit sites through without even a hint of trying to block it. Kids these days are smart. It doesn’t take much to bypass content filters. It can be as easy as doing Google searches until a site is found that is not blocked by the filter, to using using proxy servers to hide the actual website they are visiting.
Parents cannot sit back and expect software to handle their parental responsibilities. The term “parental controls” is quite deceiving seeing how it makes no More >
Hackers Target USB and Other Removable Media…Again
Jul 19th
The world was recently attacked by malware that installed itself through the AutoPlay feature, and it is happening again. The previous attack placed a second AutoPlay option in the window that pops up when you insert a flash drive. Clicking on the wrong one would infect the computer. This new threat attacks shortcut icons. It targets USB sticks and other removable drives.
A security advisory issued by Microsoft warns users of targeted attacks against Windows Shell (that is the main interface that Windows uses to organize the desktop and file system). The attacks work on virtually all versions of Windows and More >
You Need More Than Security, You Need Service
Jun 22nd
We trust our security software to keep us safe, but without service and support backing it up, our trust may be misplaced. According to a new report from NSS Labs, an independent product analysis company, security software vendors often miss the latest malware threats from hacked websites. As many as 50,000 malicious programs are released everyday. This report suggests that infection is inevitable; whether your software tells you or not is another issue.
Most security software vendors charge heavy fees to remove infections that their software should have prevented to begin with. Doesn’t that seem a bit strange? That’s like More >
"Sexiest Video" Attack Hits Facebook Users
May 18th
The new attack comes in the form of a post from a friend saying: "This is without doubt the sexiest video ever!". The post also has a thumbnail showing a girl riding an exercise bike in a short skirt.
By clicking on the post to see it, you are sent to a site that explains you do not have the appropriate software to view the video. If you happen to install the “correct software”, you are actually installing adware on your computer. This adware will display annoying advertisements on your computer.
What You Need To Do:
- Do not click on any video with More >
New Threat Poses as Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor
May 10th
A new threat has been discovered that is spreading rapidly though email. The email includes a message that asks the user to test their computer to see if it will be able to run Windows 7.
The email contains a .zip file which has the “Windows Upgrade Advisor” inside. If you run the program what you will actually get is a Trojan that steals passwords from your computer as well as other important information.
The Trojan will also open a backdoor to allow the download of other malicious software.
What You Need to Do:
- Do not open emails from people or organizations you do More >
A New Way to Steal Your Identity - Copy Machines
May 5th
So, you have your anti-virus, firewall and anti-spyware installed. You have a hardware firewall on your router. You computer is fully updated to prevent zero-day attacks. You keep your wallet chained to you at all times and never leave your credit cards anywhere. You shred ALL your important papers and documents and store the ones you can’t shred in a locked safe. Your identity is safe…right? Think again.
Just when you thought you knew all the ways thieves steal your information, something pops up that takes us all by surprise. Copy machines. That’s right, copy machines are your new threat. Since More >
Facebook Ad Directing to Fake Anti-Virus Page
Apr 12th
A malicious ad for greeting cards on Facebook redirects clickers to a page selling fake anti-virus software. The ad is intermittently displayed with a Farm Town ad which has over 9 million monthly users.
The website may tell you that you are infected and ask you to buy the removal software.
What You Need to Do:
- Don’t install anti-virus software without researching it first.
- If a site or program is saying that you are infected with something, call your technicians at INVISUS to have them investigate. They will remove any infections that may be on your computer. Remember, it is free to call if More >
Stealing Health Care
Apr 8th
Don’t you hate it when you go to pay your health bill only to find that someone used your name and social security number to get a $12,000 liposuction procedure?
What, this has never happened to you? Well, if you’re not careful, it may.
Sierra Morgan of Modesto, CA., had her medical identity stolen and the thief racked up that $12,000 bill.
Shortly after opening a health care credit account to get braces for her teeth, a thief stole the account. Morgan didn’t learn about the crime until she logged in to pay the bill and saw the charge.
Medical identity theft is not More >
Taking Your Computer to the Store is So Yesterday
Mar 24th
There’s nothing worse than having to get down behind your desk, memorize where all the wires go, and hope you can get them all back where they belong.
Except maybe paying too much for the repair once you get it to the store.
It’s time you stopped lugging your computer around town trying to find someone to fix it and take advantage of the latest software and services that lets the technician come to you – remotely.
With the advances in technology and the tools that are available, taking your computer to the shop is becoming a thing of the past. A technician More >