Thankfully, the developers opted to make the randomized MAC address feature the default for wireless connections. A must-useįor anyone who is serious about mobile security, this feature is a must-use. If this isn’t the case, setting the option is but a tap away. The randomized MAC address assignment should be set as the default for all wireless connections. Tap the gear icon associated with the wireless connection to be configured.
Once you connect to a wireless network, here’s how to make sure the device is using a random MAC address (instead of the device MAC address). The randomized MAC address option is configured for each wireless connection, so there is no way to configure this globally. That is not just a privacy issue, but could lead to a security problem. Each time your MAC address is associated with a network, it could be tracked, thereby giving away your movement throughout a city. Say, you move around from wireless network to wireless network. Boingo Wireless, the world’s leading WiFi provider, today revealed that the iPad is now the second most popular non-laptop device connecting to its WiFi networks, displacing Android devices and. If someone were to discover the MAC address associated with your mobile device, they could easily keep tabs on you. This address can be used to track a device on Wi-Fi networks. On the off-chance you want to ensure your Android 10 device is making use of randomized MAC addresses, let me show you how.įor those that might not know, a MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique identifier, assigned to a device’s network interface controller. In fact, the feature should be set as the default option for all wireless connections. SEE: VPN usage policy (TechRepublic Premium)īut how do you randomize your MAC address? Thanks to Android 10, it’s actually quite simple. By doing this, your device’s security and privacy increases. Namely, that Boingo is not responsible for the practices or activities of any website you visit through Boingo Wi-Fi, that anyone between the ages of 13 and 17 should (but does not have to) get. What can a Randomized MAC address do? To put it simply, MAC address randomization can prevent a listener from using a device’s MAC address to build a history of activity. Said new feature is Randomized MAC addresses. Mobile malware is on the rise: Know how to protect yourself from a virus or stolen dataĦ easy tips for cleaning up your inbox (TechRepublic Premium) With this release, there’s an interesting feature that might please a number of users (especially those serious about the security of their mobile devices). Such is the case with Android 10 (previously known as Android Q). With each iteration of Android, security improves.
Security has become a top priority for mobile users, especially for those who use their devices for business purposes. How to enable a randomized MAC address in Android 10ĭon't let your Android's MAC address give away your location-use a Randomized MAC address instead.