MAC Address Randomization
Discussions center on how modern operating systems like iOS and Android use randomized MAC addresses for WiFi scanning and connections to prevent device tracking and enhance privacy, with debates on its effectiveness and implementation.
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Is that still a thing in the era of randomized MAC addresses?
At least iPhones use a randomized MAC address for WiFi to prevent tracking.
Sure, but your MAC address is easily spoofed. In fact, all major operating systems do it nowadays for public WiFi systems and you have to explicitly opt-out of randomising your MAC Address when connecting.
Unless you have a randomized mac address.
MAC address randomization makes this harder.
Doesn't the operating system use a randomised MAC address when connecting to Wi-Fi though?
MAC is easily spoofed, most smartphones do it already by default - although only per session
IIRC current android and iOS devices will probe Wifi using a randomized MAC and only use the real mac once connecting for realsies.
Are you using random Mac addresses?
Phones randomize mac addresses so that probably wouldn't work. Presumably you can get a read on how many devices are scanning at once, but not track them long term.