Why Windows 10 Shares Your Wi-Fi Password And How To Stop It
Microsoft Windows 10 will have a number of improvements when it launches tomorrow, including a revamped Start menu, a speedy Microsoft Edge web browser, a built-in Cortana digital assistant and the ability to stream games from an Xbox One console to another device. But there is a controversial feature shipping with Windows 10 called Wi-Fi Sense — which will be enabled by default.
What makes Wi-Fi Sense controversial is that it encourages you to crowdsource private Wi-Fi network passwords with your Outlook, Skype and Facebook contacts. This feature makes it easier for your friends and family to automatically connect to your Wi-Fi while visiting, but security pundits are warning that it may compromise your network.
“In theory, someone who wanted access to your company network could befriend an employee or two, and drive into the office car park to be in range, and then gain access to the wireless network,” said Simon Rockman of The Register UK. But Microsoft told Rockman that when you share access to your wireless network using Wi-Fi Sense, your contacts cannot share that access with other people.
Personally, I believe that the benefits of Wi-Fi Sense outweigh the risks. This feature lets your friends access your Wi-Fi network without having to actually tell them your password. Sometimes people use the same password for their e-mail and Wi-Fi network, which could be a major privacy risk if their friends are nosy. Wi-Fi Sense also makes connecting to your Wi-Fi network less of a hassle if your password is extra long with a variety of letters, numbers and symbols. And Wi-Fi Sense does not actually show your Wi-Fi password at all.
Microsoft’s Wi-Fi Sense is not a completely new feature. You may recognize Wi-Fi Sense if you have a Windows Phone 8.1 device. But when Wi-Fi Sense was integrated in Windows Phone last year, it did not seem to receive much publicity.
Wi-Fi Sense on Windows Phone device / Credit: Microsoft
How Does Wi-Fi Sense Actually Work?
If you decide to share access to your network, the password is sent over an encrypted connection and is stored in an encrypted file on Microsoft’s servers. The encrypted file is sent over a secure connection to your friend’s Wi-Fi Sense enabled device if he or she is in range of the Wi-Fi network, according toMicrosoft’s FAQ about Wi-Fi Sense for Windows Phone.
Keep in mind that Wi-Fi Sense only grants Internet access, meaning that your friends will not be able to access shared files and printers within your home network. And the encrypted password will only be shared with your direct contacts. If your contacts want to share your password with their contacts, they will need to know the Wi-Fi password.
Wi-Fi Sense will not work on enterprise networks that use the 802.1X standard. If you connect to an enterprise network, the network credentials will not be shared with anyone.
Disabling Wi-Fi Sense
If you do not want to have Wi-Fi Sense enabled for your Windows 10 device, you can disable it within the settings. Click on the Start menu and hit “Settings.” Then click on “Wi-Fi” under “Network & Internet.” Under “Manage Wi-Fi Settings,” you will see options to connect to suggested open hotspots and connect to networks shared by your contacts. You can also select which networks that you want to share your password with, including Outlook, Skype and Facebook contacts. To completely disable Wi-Fi Sense, make sure to disable all of those options.
Opting your Wi-Fi network out of Wi-Fi Sense is a bit more challenging. If you do not want Wi-Fi Sense to use your Wi-Fi network, you will need to include “_optout” in the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) by logging into your router settings. For example, if your Wi-Fi network name is “Home,” then it should be renamed to “Home_optout.”
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