# Windows 10 Shares Your WiFi Passwords With Your Contacts **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 30, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593 "2015-07-30T19:00:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/1 "2015-07-30T19:00:10Z")
> **[The Pros & Cons Of Windows 10 Sharing Your WiFi Passwords With Your Contacts](https://consumerist.com/2015/07/29/the-pros-cons-of-windows-10-sharing-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/)** > > All around the world today, Windows users are updating their operating systems to Windows 10, better known as Microsoft’s attempt to atone for the sins of Windows 8. However, the newest versi… > [@](#): > > The feature, dubbed Wi-Fi Sense, shares an encrypted version of a user’s WiFi network password with their Skype, Outlook, and possibly Facebook contacts. > > The sharing with Skype and Outlook contact is by default, while the user must opt in to share with Facebook contacts. The contacts never actually see the password, which is stored remotely on a Microsoft server, but if they ever come within reach of your WiFi network, they’ll be able to log on. I thought about posting this in GD to debate whether or not this is a good idea, but I can’t see anyone here arguing in favor of this. Am I wrong? The thinking apparently is that it’s safer than giving your friends your WiFi password when they come to visit, since with this mechanism it’s encrypted, but you could achieve this with a selective mechanism that doesn’t mindlessly share it with all your contacts and that doesn’t involve any third party services. When the time comes that I start using Windows 10 one of the first things I’ll do is opt out of this. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/2 "2015-07-30T19:30:35Z")
[Not a big deal](http://www.zdnet.com/article/no-windows-10s-wi-fi-sense-feature-is-not-a-security-risk/) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/3 "2015-07-30T19:35:04Z")
Sharing is enabled by default. Sharing YOUR NETWORK is not enabled by default. If you go in and enable sharing your network, any of YOUR FRIENDS who you trust in your home will be able to get through to the internet (but not on your network) without having to pester you for the password. What’s the problem? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/4 "2015-07-30T19:36:38Z")
So we have one article that says it’s on by default, and another article that says the opposite. Which is it? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/5 "2015-07-30T19:59:10Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > So we have one article that says it’s on by default, and another article that says the opposite. > > Which is it? The feature which enables the possibility of sharing networks is switched on by default, but also by default, none of your wireless networks are actually shared until you say so. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/6 "2015-07-30T20:02:50Z")
And, it doesn’t give your password to anybody, it just assumes anybody you trust enough to add them to your contact list and also to enter your home is also trusted enough to get to the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/7 "2015-07-30T20:09:39Z")
How does MS keep those passwords _safe?_ What’s the chance of someone else getting hold of them and accessing the signal from the outside? ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/8 "2015-07-30T20:11:12Z")
It’s MS. They take security very seriously, and are usually quite bulletproof with their implementations. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/9 "2015-07-30T20:18:46Z")
> [@Randolph](#): > > It’s MS. They take security very seriously, and are usually quite bulletproof with their implementations. You nearly cracked a rib trying to type that without laughing, didn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/10 "2015-07-30T20:46:28Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > And, it doesn’t give your password to anybody, it just assumes anybody you trust enough to add them to your contact list and also to enter your home is also trusted enough to get to the internet. The real weak part here is that I’ve got a contact list that goes back ten years. If there was a more granular way to designate people - call them Trusted Contacts, or some such - this would be a great idea. Then, say, family members who drop by can use your wifi any time they’re logged in on a Microsoft-account-enabled device. That’s one other thing to keep in mind, this only works if the other person is on a Microsoft-account device. Anonymous users can’t log in even if they’re in your contact list. The MS account is how MS knows who they are to let them in. So if the slacker next door is bogarting your bandwidth, it will show up in your logs. Here’s an Ars Tech article about (they think it’s an ok feature) - > **[Wi-Fi Sense in Windows 10: Yes, it shares your passkeys; no, you shouldn’t be...](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/07/wi-fi-sense-in-windows-10-yes-it-shares-your-passkeys-no-you-shouldnt-be-scared/)** > > You have to manually opt into every Wi-Fi network that you want to share. And one from Krebs on Security (he’s mostly ok with it) - > **[Windows 10 Shares Your Wi-Fi With Contacts – Krebs on Security](https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/07/windows-10-shares-your-wi-fi-with-contacts/)** > > Starting today, Microsoft is offering most Windows 7 and Windows 8 users a free upgrade to the software giant's latest operating system -- Windows 10. But there's a very important security caveat that users should know about before transitioning to… And instructions for turning it off via MS - (Windows Phone link because it’s a originally a Phone feature) > **[What does it mean if Windows isn't supported? - Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/what-does-it-mean-if-windows-isn-t-supported-08f3b92d-7539-671e-1452-2e71cdad18b5)** > > Learn what it means if you have an older version of Windows that's no longer supported. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/11 "2015-07-30T21:56:01Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > That’s one other thing to keep in mind, this only works if the other person is on a Microsoft-account device. Anonymous users can’t log in even if they’re in your contact list. The MS account is how MS knows who they are to let them in. So if the slacker next door is bogarting your bandwidth, it will show up in your logs. If I’m understanding it correctly, you’ll know it, but you can’t stop them unless you turn it off for everybody. It’s an all or nothing thing. Am I understanding correctly? ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/12 "2015-07-30T22:18:02Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > If I’m understanding it correctly, you’ll know it, but you can’t stop them unless you turn it off for everybody. It’s an all or nothing thing. Am I understanding correctly? Yes, but you can remove them from your contact list then. Or ask them WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/13 "2015-07-30T22:33:45Z")
Right. At the moment, the only option is to boot the bum off your contact list or turn it all off. This is part of the granularity options I mentioned. We should be able to designate individuals who are blocked or allowed, not just the whole list. Hopefully, MS will update these options eventually. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/14 "2015-07-31T21:33:09Z")
Why in the world would you assume that everyone you have in your contact list is someone you’d want to use your Internet? And what makes you think they must be in your house? I live out in the boonies but can pick up my neighbors’ Wi-Fi. I can’t imagine how much you pick up in the city, let alone an apartment complex. This is just like Microsoft. New features that they don’t think through. All it would take is a simple popup saying “So and so wants to go online” with an option to Allow or Deny and a checkmark to keep it that way. And, yes, the ability to enable it for Contacts in a certain group. Not that I quite understand how this works. If my Wi-Fi is encrypted, how are they getting on in the first place? How do they know that they are actually hitting my Wi-Fi access point, and not another one with the same SSID elsewhere? Are they actually just sending out the password to everyone? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/15 "2015-07-31T21:53:14Z")
This is actually one of the nicer features. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/16 "2015-07-31T21:54:23Z")
> [@](#): > > The contacts never actually see the password, which is stored remotely on a Microsoft server, but if they ever come within reach of your WiFi network, they’ll be able to log on. I’m inferring from this that means Microsoft will have a huge database of SSID to WiFi passwords? I may have lots of people in my contacts who I don’t want access to my network. I can imagine someone on the condo board having everyone in the building in their contact list, but that doesn’t mean that they want everyone in the building to use their wifi. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/17 "2015-07-31T22:02:05Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Here’s an Ars Tech article about (they think it’s an ok feature) - > [Wi-Fi Sense in Windows 10: Yes, it shares your passkeys; no, you shouldn’t be scared - Ars Technica](http://arstechnica.co.uk/gadgets/2015/07/wi-fi-sense-in-windows-10-yes-it-shares-your-passkeys-no-you-shouldnt-be-scared/) That article tries to argue it is more secure than giving your password out to people you actually trust with the password. This is not true, since you no longer can choose to only give it only to those people you trust not to abuse it, but instead to everyone on your contact list. Just because I’ve sent you an email and you happen to be near my house doesn’t mean I want you on my Internet. Sure, if you don’t use the feature, you’re still secure. But if you do use it, you are decreasing your security. It should not have rolled out like that. > [@](#): > > And one from Krebs on Security (he’s mostly ok with it) - > [Windows 10 Shares Your Wi-Fi With Contacts – Krebs on Security](https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/07/windows-10-shares-your-wi-fi-with-contacts/) That’s pretty much the opposite of what he said. He’s mostly not okay with it, even after the ZDNet correction. He suspects most users will choose to enable a network when prompted to do so, which, of course, turns it on for everyone. He doesn’t trust Microsoft’s security when it comes to keeping people off the main network, and has the same concerns I do about sharing it with everyone on Skype/Facebook/Outlook. He compares it disfavorably with Apple’s iCloud Keychain. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/18 "2015-07-31T22:18:29Z")
This is just how Skynet takes over. I only have about 20 contacts. But _they_ have contacts. And _they_ have contacts… One little upgrade that allows “friend of a friend” access and then next thing you know every device has got internet anywhere on the nearest wifi. Goddam phone already tells someone where I am at any given moment–even tells me how long it’s gonna take me to get to work–and I never even told it where I work! ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/19 "2015-07-31T23:38:28Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > This is just how Skynet takes over. I only have about 20 contacts. But _they_ have contacts. And _they_ have contacts… One little upgrade that allows “friend of a friend” access and then next thing you know every device has got internet anywhere on the nearest wifi. Goddam phone already tells someone where I am at any given moment–even tells me how long it’s gonna take me to get to work–and I never even told it where I work! Ergo: Terminators! Nice going Microsoft. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593/20 "2015-08-01T00:58:56Z")
So it updates the database if I change my network password a few months from now? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-shares-your-wifi-passwords-with-your-contacts/726593.md?page=2)