computing Archives - American Press

Using unencrypted Wi-Fi connection a security risk

I sometimes read the electronic version of the American Press through an unsecured Wi-Fi at a local restaurant. Is it possible in this situation for someone to view other things on my tablet that I am not looking at, such as my emails, etc.?The answer is yes.Dr. Matthew Aghili, head of the electrical engineering and computer science department at McNeese State University, said any publicly available unencrypted connection to the Internet or an access point is inherently insecure and could be a potential threat or a point of attack.He said this includes laptops, smartphones and tablets — all susceptible to the wireless security risks. This means that if the Wi-Fi access point or the public network is compromised then very likely the whole network could be scanned and all information on that network is at risk.So, how can you protect your data when using an unsecured Wi-Fi connection?Aghili said the user must use communication protocols (or applications) capable of data encryption or if personal data (emails or files) is stored on the local device, the user must apply some form of encryption to protect the data. He said encryption software tools are usually available on all operating systems.He listed a few good links for more information on public Wi-Fi security: https://usa.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/public-wifihttps://lifehacker.com/top-10-ways-to-stay-safe-on-public-wi-fi-networks-1791800347<hr />White House mailCan you give me the mailing address for the president of the United States? I need to complain to him about my mail service. Sure. All letters to President Donald Trump can be mailed to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 20500. The White House, on its directory website, encourages all letter writers to either type the letter or write as neatly as possible using pen. Writers are asked to include their return address on their letter as well as the envelope. <hr />Obama vetoesHow many bills did President Barack Obama veto during his presidency? How many were overridden?President Barack Obama issued 12 vetoes during his presidency. Only one of those vetoes was overridden by Congress, and it was in support of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act. The act allows families of terror attacks on U.S. soil — including the Sept. 11 victims — to pursue claims against the nation states who sponsored the attack. With respect to the 9-11 families, it will allow them to amend lawsuits already underway — or file new suits — to directly sue Saudi Arabia. <hr />The Informer answers questions from readers. It is written by Crystal Stevenson, American Press executive editor. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave a voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.Public Wi-Fi