Archives 2022

Article (PSA-0021)
Submitted by: Billy Joe Long
Company: PSA Computer Services
Titled: Printer Installation 101 – (WiFi)
Original release date: December 10, 2022

In our last article, Printer Installation 101 – (USB and Ethernet), we discussed the basic process on how to setup a printer via USB connection and Ethernet connection. In this article we will address setting up a WiFi enabled printer on your WiFi network.

Basic preparation for installing most WiFi printers will include: knowing your WiFi network name (SSID) and having your WiFi connection password. Also, on initial configuration you will want your WiFi printer close to your WiFi router (or access point). Within four feet with clear line of sight will be fine for our purposes. In addition to having the printer installation software available for your make and model of printer, ensure your computer(s) are connected to the same WiFi network you will be connecting the printer too.

There are two common WiFi printer setups you are most likely to encounter – printers “with a touchscreen” and printers “without a touchscreen”.

1. Setting up a printer with a “touchscreen”.
If your WiFi printer has a touchscreen you will need to go into the menu system to access and configure the printers WiFi connection properties. Most of the menu systems are pretty intuitive but can vary greatly – so at this point you may need to refer to your printer user manual for specifics on where to enter your WiFi connection information. Once you are in the correct menu for configuring your printers WiFi connection settings, you will either select your network from a list offered by the printer menu or you will need to enter in the name of your WiFi network manually. If you have to enter it in, make sure it matches exactly! Next, you will be prompted to enter your WiFi connection key (password). Again, make sure you enter it exactly … passwords are case sensitive. If all went well, your printer should now be connected to your WiFi network. You can now unplug your WiFi printer and move it to any location you want, as long as it is within your WiFi network coverage range. There is still more to do before you can print to it though … but for those of you who have successfully completed this step – please skip to step 3.

2. Setting up a printer without a “touchscreen”.
If your WiFi printer does not have a touchscreen, then it will attempt to connect to your WiFi network using technology called WiFi Protected Setup or (WPS). Your WiFi router (or access point) will need to offer this technology for you to successfully connect your printer. If you are unsure whether your WiFi router offers WPS, please refer to your router user manual. Assuming your router offers WPS, the first step is to put your printer in WPS mode. This is usually accomplished by pushing a button on your printer (refer to your printer manual). Next you will need to put your router in WPS mode within two minutes by pushing the provided WPS button. Each WPS enabled printer will offer a visual queue to indicate whether it has successfully connected to your WiFi network or not. Please refer to your printer manual for specifics. Most printers will usually have a blinking light while connecting – which then turns solid once connected. If all went well, your printer should now be connected to your WiFi network. You can now unplug your WiFi printer and move it to any location you want, as long as it is within your WiFi network coverage range.

3. Finally, setting up your computer to print to your WiFi printer.
Run the installation software that came with your printer (or you downloaded from the manufacturers website) on your computer. Each installation setup can be slightly different. If asked what type of installation your are performing (USB, Ethernet or WiFi), choose WiFi. The software will use your computers WiFi network connection to look for your WiFi printer. That is why it is critical that your printer be on the same WiFi network as your computer(s). If all goes well, the installation software should present you with the option to choose your printer from a list. Once you select your printer the installation should proceed with minimal input from you. If there are multiple printers on your WiFi network, you may be asked to choose the correct printer from a list. The printer you want will usually be distinct based on the make and model. Once the installation is completed you can open up Notepad (or the text editor of your choice) type a word or two and hit print. If all went well your printer should jump to life and produce a copy of your document.

Setting up a printer can be challenging if technology is not your thing. This walkthrough is very generalized and may not be sufficient to help with all installation scenarios. If you run into a problem installing your new WiFi printer and feel you need some help, give PSA Computer Services a call at (707) 506-6802.

Article (PSA-0020)
Submitted by: Billy Joe Long
Company: PSA Computer Services
Titled: Printer Installation 101 – (USB and Ethernet)
Original release date: September 12, 2022

So you got that new printer and your thinking … now what? Well don’t panic, depending on how you want to use your printer this should be pretty straight forward. Let’s take a look at the two most common printer setups.

1. You will use your printer on one and only one computer (desktop or laptop).

When you buy a consumer grade printer today it will usually provide, at a minimum, one of these three connection methods: USB, Ethernet or WiFi (or some combination of those three or all three). There are other connection methods, but we will only be addressing these three methods over the next couple of articles.

Setting up your printer directly connected to your computer using USB is the easiest setup, but comes with limitations on where you can put your printer. Typically the USB cable that comes with your printer will be 3 to 6 feet long. That’s not much length to work with, but if that works for you then simply pop the installation disk into your computer (or go online and download the drivers to your computer – the web address will be in the instructions – yes, you should review them as well!). Then run the setup program. The most common software setup routine will be to run the printer setup software BEFORE PLUGGING YOUR USB CABLE INTO THE COMPUTER. At some point in the printer software installation you will be instructed to plug the provided USB cable into the printer and your computer. The software installation will continue once the printer is detected. From there follow the on-screen instructions and once completed you should have the ability to print – congratulations!

(Note on USB printers. USB printers can be shared to other users located on the same network. This setup can produce setup issues and is therefore not covered in this walkthrough. If you would like more information on this type of setup, please give us a call.)

The setup process for a network printer will be the same whether it’s for one or many computers to access it – so we will just skip to section 2 for the ethernet network walkthrough.

2. You will use your printer on one or more computers (desktop or laptop).

Network printer installation is a little more involved. Network printers offer flexibility on where you can put your printer – especially the WiFi variety, but can require a little more work to setup. In this article I will cover ethernet installation only. WiFi installation will be more involved and we’ll take a look at that in my next article.

Setting up your printer on your ethernet network consists of first connecting your printer to an ethernet cable which is connected to your router. Now pop the installation disk into your computer (or go online and download the drivers to your computer – the web address will be in the instructions – yes, you should review them as well!). Then run the setup program. At some point in the printer software installation you will be instructed to choose a printer from a list of available network printers (unless there is only one). The software installation will continue once your new printer is selected. From there follow the on-screen instructions and once completed you should have the ability to print from this computer – congratulations! Run the exact same setup process on any other computer, on the same network, you want to have the ability to print. Congratulations again! Tune in next time as we tackle setting up a WiFi printer.

Dear Reader,

Working with the Department of Justice Elder Fraud Initiative and other internal and external partners, the FBI is committed to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting criminals who target seniors. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a key component in this endeavor, as it provides victims a venue to identify the subject and the fraud committed against them.

Through this voluntary submission of information, the IC3 receives and tracks thousands of complaints each day. These complaints contain the details of multiple types of schemes, including romance scams, investment fraud, government impersonation, and tech support fraud.

The number of elderly victims has risen at an alarming rate, while the loss amounts are even more staggering. In 2021, over 92,000 victims over the age of 60 reported losses of $1.7 billion to the IC3. This represents a 74 percent increase in losses over losses reported in 2020.

As a result of these trends and the emphasis by the FBI on protecting our seniors, the FBI is publishing the 2021 IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report. This information is a companion report to the 2021 IC3 Annual Report released in March 2022. These reports, along with other publications, are available at www.ic3.gov.

The intent of this information is to educate, warn, and protect potential victims of all ages. Highlighting the crimes specifically affecting seniors will it be possible to ensure the necessary emphasis and resources are allocated to address this problem.

For those who unfortunately fall victim to these criminal tactics, please know the information you provide to the FBI is vital in bringing the criminals responsible to justice.

Luis M. Quesada
Assistant Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Criminal Investigative Division

Read the full report here: https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2021_IC3ElderFraudReport.pdf

Dear Reader,

In 2021, America experienced an unprecedented increase in cyber attacks and malicious cyber activity. These cyber attacks compromised businesses in an extensive array of business sectors as well as the American public. As the cyber threat evolves and becomes increasingly intertwined with traditional foreign intelligence threats and emerging technologies, the FBI continues to leverage our unique authorities and partnerships to impose risks and consequences on our nation’s cyber adversaries.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) provides the American public with a direct outlet to report cyber crimes to the FBI. We analyze and investigate the reporting to track the trends and threats from cyber criminals and then share this data with our intelligence and law enforcement partners. The FBI, alongside our partners, recognizes how crucial information sharing of cyber activities is to prepare our partners to combat the cyber threat, through a whole-of-government approach. Critical to that approach is public reporting to IC3 – enabling us to fill in the missing pieces with this valuable information during the investigatory process. Not only does this reporting help to prevent additional crimes, it allows us to develop key insights on the ever-evolving trends and threats we face from malign cyber actors.

In 2021, IC3 continued to receive a record number of complaints from the American public: 847,376 reported complaints, which was a 7% increase from 2020, with potential losses exceeding $6.9 billion. Among the 2021 complaints received, ransomware, business e-mail compromise (BEC) schemes, and the criminal use of cryptocurrency are among the top incidents reported. In 2021, BEC schemes resulted in 19,954 complaints with an adjusted loss of nearly $2.4 billion.

IC3’s commitment to cyber victims and partnerships allow for the continued success through programs such as the IC3’s Recovery Asset Team (RAT). Established in 2018, RAT streamlines communications with financial institutions and FBI field offices to assist freezing of funds for victims. In 2021, the IC3’s RAT initiated the Financial Fraud Kill Chain (FFKC) on 1,726 BEC complaints involving domestic to domestic transactions with potential losses of $443,448,237. A monetary hold was placed on approximately $329 million, which represents a 74% success rate.

In 2021, heightened attention was brought to the urgent need for more cyber incident reporting to the federal government. Cyber incidents are in fact crimes deserving of an investigation, leading to judicial repercussions for the perpetrators who commit them. Thank you to all those readers who reported crimes to IC3 throughout the year. Without this reporting, we could not be as effective in ensuring consequences are imposed on those perpetrating these attacks and our understanding of these threats would not be as robust. Please visit IC3.gov to access the latest information on criminal internet activity.

The FBI’s Cyber Division is working harder than ever to protect the American public and to instill safety, security, and confidence in a digitally connected world. We encourage everyone to use IC3 and reach out to their local FBI field office to report malicious activity. Together we can continue to create a safer and more secure cyber landscape.

Paul Abbate
Deputy Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation

Read the full report here: https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2021_IC3Report.pdf

Article (PSA-0019)
Submitted by: Billy Joe Long
Company: PSA Computer Services
Titled: What Is Cyber Extortion?
Original release date: June 10, 2022

The news is constantly reporting cyber-criminal activity and the devastating consequences of those who are compromised. This article will define what cyber-extortion is, and some steps you can take to make it less likely that you will fall prey to their criminal schemes. I will also lay out for you a vital step you can do now to help recover in the event you are compromised.

So, what is cyber-extortion? Cyber-extortion is a network/internet crime where an individual or group demands money or some other response to discontinue whatever criminal activity they are enacting against you or your business. In one type of cyber-extortion the attackers compromise a device on the victims network and then attempt to install malware known as ransomware on the device. If successful they will then inform the user of the situation and demand payment for the user to regain access to their data.

How are we so easily compromised? Email. Email has become a serious problem with the shear volume of spam that most of us receive. Cyber-criminals know most people are dealing with large volumes of junk email everyday and are likely to click on a link in an email if the email looks legitimate to the user in someway. So these attackers expend quite a lot of effort to custom craft emails to closely resemble authentic emails from companies most of us are very familiar with. Embedded in these counterfeit emails are links to malware and phone numbers to hack groups. Once the link is clicked or the number is called you are well on your way to full compromise and at their mercy.

So what can we do to help avoid this situation? First step, don’t trust any email. You must exercise restraint and common sense. Let me give you an easy example. You receive an email stating that you just won a million dollars. All you have to do is click this link to start your claim. We now apply common sense and mark the email as Spam and then Delete it. Why? Because you did not just win a million dollars and if you click that link to claim it, your going to get something you’ll regret for a long time. Easy right? Let’s try a harder one. You receive an official looking email stating that your payment of $1,200 dollars has been successfully processed and will deduct from your account within the next 3-5 business days. The email then goes on to thank you for your payment and for being one of their valued customers. At the very bottom of the email, where you would expect it to be, is the statement: if you did not initiate this payment please click this link to cancel the payment. What do you do? Take a careful look at the return email address for the email – does it make sense? Now hover over the link they are directing you to – without clicking on it! Does the link make sense? With some training and skill you’ll be able to identify these scam emails and avoid a lot of trouble. If after examining the email you still can’t determine whether it’s legit or not, contact your IT service provider. They will take a look at the email for you and let you know if it’s legit.

What can you do now to help minimize the pain if you do become compromised? Backups. Backup, backup, backup. You hear it all the time, but are you doing it? Are you doing the right kind of backups? If not, you are in store for some serious heartache. With a proper backup system these compromises become less painful. If for some reason you or your business becomes the victim of a cyber-extortion group, it can be mitigated without paying them a dime and with minimal down-time by restoring the system (or systems) to a previous state.

In this article I have attempted to raise your awareness to the ongoing issue of cyber-extortion and cyber-criminals. These crimes are not just happening to corporations or down in the city, they’re happening to local businesses and our neighbors. Knowledge is power – if it is used correctly! I hope you will take what you have learned here and use it as a starting point for your own research into how to protect yourself and your friends from cyber-criminals.

If you have questions concerning cyber-crime, email, backup systems or any other issues give us a call.

Article (PSA-0018)
Submitted by: Billy Joe Long
Company: PSA Computer Services
Titled: Introduction to 5G
Original release date: March 10, 2022

5G is the 5th generation mobile network. That means it is a new global wireless standard after 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G networks. 5G enables a new kind of network focused on connecting everyone
and everything together.

5G is based on OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing). OFDM is a method of modulating a digital signal across several different channels to reduce interference. 5G also uses
wider bandwidth technologies. 5G OFDM operates on the same mobile networking principles as 4G LTE (Long-Term Evolution). However, 5G has a theoretical peak speed of 20 Gbps, while the
peak speed of 4G is only 1 Gbps.

5G promises ultra-low latency, which would improve the performance of business applications as well as other digital experiences, such as online gaming, video conferencing, and self-driving cars. The lower the latency, when sending and receiving data, the closer we get to “real-time” communications.

5G networks will also simplify mobility, with seamless open roaming capabilities between cellular and Wi-Fi access. Mobile users can stay connected as they move between outdoor wireless connections and wireless networks inside buildings without user intervention.

5G technology should improve connectivity in under-served rural areas and in cities where the demand can overwhelm today’s available capacity with 4G technology. 5G is designed to deliver
faster and better mobile broadband services than 4G LTE. Because of this 5G is expected to impact every industry.

If you have questions concerning your email services give us a call.