XPost: alt.comp.os.windows-10, alt.comp.os.windows-11   
   From: void-invalid-dead-dontuse@email.invalid   
      
   On 07/03/2023 20:23, Andy Burnelli wrote:   
   > For Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi, does Windows have the capability for...   
   > 1. MAC randomization *when scanning* 2. MAC randomization *per access   
   > point* 3. MAC randomization *per connection*   
   > 4. Did I miss any critical timer periods?   
   >   
   > BACKGROUND:   
   >   
   > The motherships (Apple & Google & Samsung at least) are starting to be   
   > aware of the privacy flaws inherent in having a permanent MAC address.   
   >   
   > So they're sloooooooooowly providing, release by release, the inherent   
   > capability to randomize your MAC address during those three tasks.   
   >   
   > This article back in 2014, shows the danger of NOT randomizing Wi-Fi:   
   >   "When scanning for wireless networks, client devices like the   iPhone   
   > periodically broadcast identifying packets that include   the MAC   
   > address. In recent years, a number of firms have taken   advantage of   
   > these broadcasts to track individual devices as   they move around - for   
   > example, some retail outlets use MAC   address-based tracking to record   
   > the path that consumers take   as they move through the store, allowing   
   > long-term measurement   of shopping habits and better placement of sale   
   > materials   and advertising."�   
   >    
   >   
   > And, this line in that same article shows the dangers with Bluetooth:   
   >   "The city of Houston's TranStar traffic monitoring system,   for   
   > instance, uses the MAC addresses from Bluetooth devices   to measure   
   > traffic flow on city streets."   
   >   
   > The question I'm asking for this Windows newsgroup is whether Microsoft has   
   > added this capability to randomize the Bluetooth & Wi-Fi MAC during 3 times   
   > a. When scanning   
   > b. When connecting (per access point)   
   > c. When connecting (per connection)   
   >   
   > An example of these types of settings on other platforms might be this:   
   >  Random MAC on every connect   
   >   
   > Although it has implications for your home router LAN setup for static IPs.   
   >  Static/Reserved IP address   
      
   My Android mobile phone now defaults to some kind of MAC randomization.   
   It's damn annoying.   
   If I forget of disable it none of the public Wi-Fi access points I use   
   will let me use them without re-registering every time.   
   I don't fully understand what it's doing though, because my own home   
   Wi-Fi manages to give it the same IP address every time.   
      
   --   
   Brian Gregory (in England).   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)