After many months of waiting, Android 15 is now available for download, although For now only for Google Pixel users. The new version of the company’s operating system comes with the most interesting new features, such as private spaces, anti-theft protection or the new archiving of applications, among other improvements.
One of the changes brought by the operating system update is related to WiFi networks. Yes indeed, This is an option that we recommend not using if you don’t want to be exposed to security threats. We are talking about a setting that allows us to connect to networks that use the WEP protocol, an outdated and very insecure encryption system.
Android 15 allows us to connect to WEP networks, although it is something to avoid
The option we are talking about can be found in “Settings” > “Network & Internet” > “Internet” > “Network Preferences”. As you can see in the screenshot below, Android 15 allows us to activate this option to connect to the WEP networks around us. The problem is that This is a much less secure option. What modern security protocols.
WEP has been available since 1997 and was the first security protocol for wireless networks. Today it is a outdated and vulnerable protocol to all types of attacks, allowing those with the necessary knowledge to easily access WiFi networks that use this security protocol. Fortunately, much more secure protocols have emerged since then, such as WPA2 or WPA3.
Most wireless networks use these new protocols, so it is not very common to find a network using the WEP protocol today. However, we may occasionally encounter a network of this type, especially on very old routers or on public networks. This is where the potential of this new adjustment comes into play.
The operating system itself tells us that “WEP is an older security protocol that is less secure”, which leads us to understand that We should not enable this option if we are not clear about the reason. Still, this setting can be useful for those who have no choice but to connect to one of these networks, for whatever reason.
By activating this option we can connect without problems to networks that continue to use the WEP protocol. Of course, it is important to take into account the risks we face and make sure you use a VPN in case we need to connect to one of these networks, otherwise anyone could access the information that we send and receive through the network.
Cover image | Pepu Ricca (Xataka Android)
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