Detections
Analytics

18.5.23.2.1 Ensure 'Allow Windows to automatically connect to suggested open hotspots, to networks shared by contacts, and to hotspots offering paid services' is set to 'Disabled'

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This audit has been deprecated and will be removed in a future update.

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Information

This policy setting determines whether users can enable the following WLAN settings: 'Connect to suggested open hotspots,' 'Connect to networks shared by my contacts,' and 'Enable paid services'.

'Connect to suggested open hotspots' enables Windows to automatically connect users to open hotspots it knows about by crowdsourcing networks that other people using Windows have connected to.

'Connect to networks shared by my contacts' enables Windows to automatically connect to networks that the user's contacts have shared with them, and enables users on this device to share networks with their contacts.

'Enable paid services' enables Windows to temporarily connect to open hotspots to determine if paid services are available.

The recommended state for this setting is: Disabled.

Note: These features are also known by the name 'Wi-Fi Sense'.

Rationale:

Automatically connecting to an open hotspot or network can introduce the system to a rogue network with malicious intent.

Impact:

Connect to suggested open hotspots, Connect to networks shared by my contacts, and Enable paid services will each be turned off and users on the device will be prevented from enabling them.

Solution

To establish the recommended configuration via GP, set the following UI path to Disabled:

Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Network\WLAN Service\WLAN Settings\Allow Windows to automatically connect to suggested open hotspots, to networks shared by contacts, and to hotspots offering paid services

Note: This Group Policy path may not exist by default. It is provided by the Group Policy template wlansvc.admx/adml that is included with the Microsoft Windows 10 Release 1511 Administrative Templates (or newer).

Default Value:

Enabled. (Users can choose to enable or disable either 'Connect to suggested open hotspots' or 'Connect to networks shared by my contacts'.)

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/3714

Item Details

References: CSCv6|15.4, CSCv6|15.8, CSCv7|15.5

Plugin: Windows

Control ID: 12d3e3bb91f3911d1274e549e26a91e0b10435369799fe5be056279341eb778f