86.1.2 (L1) 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'

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

'.

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

Solution

To establish the recommended configuration, set the following Custom Configuration Policy to 0 :

Name: <Enter name>
Description: <Enter Description>
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Wifi/AllowAutoConnectToWiFiSenseHotspots
Data type: Integer
Value: 0

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.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/16853

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

References: 800-53|CM-6, 800-53|CM-7, CSCv7|15.5

Plugin: Windows

Control ID: 37b9d1acc97ea4a44e77a840b36f660c217df67257487be275054e9d86238d4f