Wireless communication security

Wi-Fi security

Wi-Fi network is globally used for wireless data transmission and reception. However, public Wi-Fi networks are highly attractive targets for attackers who want to steal and manipulate wireless data. In such scenarios, attackers can collect plaintext data containing personal information, and further steal sensitive information such as login credentials. The following section describes the additional security features that we have on top of existing Android capabilities.

Secure Wi-Fi

An insecure Wi-Fi network is the one that has a security standard below Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) or is an open network without any password. To protect user data from such attacks, we have the Secure Wi-Fi feature, which is based on network data encryption technology. It provides a more secure environment for Samsung Galaxy users to use Wi-Fi networks.

Secure Wi-Fi protects your connection by creating a secure tunnel using symmetric encryption with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and asymmetric encryption based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) as defined by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This encryption is certified by National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP).

Secure Wi-Fi has the following core security capabilities:

• Strong encryption: Secure Wi-Fi uses Internet Key Exchange Version 2 (IKEv2) as its security key exchange protocol. Secure Wi-Fi supports IKEv2 rekeying, which means that a secret key can only be used for a specific amount of time, or for sending and receiving a certain amount of data.

• Mutual authentication: During the connection establishment process through IKEv2, the client can verify its connection to the correct server by validating the server’s certificate. Simultaneously, the server verifies if the client is an authorized user by examining the identity information provided by the client.

• Auto protection: When your device connects to an untrusted or public Wi-Fi network, the Secure Wi-Fi automatically turns on. This is particularly useful when using your device at cafes, hotels, airports or any location with an insecure Wi-Fi network. This can be disabled for specific Wi-Fi networks defined by users.

• Strong privacy guarantee: While using the Secure Wi-Fi feature, device network traffic is routed through two separate internet relays. Your IP address cannot be used by anyone, including us, to determine the websites you visit or the services you access.

Users can view and configure Secure Wi-Fi feature by going to Settings > Security and privacy > More security settings > Secure Wi-Fi. Once enabled, users have the option to turn on Secure Wi-Fi protection for specific apps and view history of protection activity.

For more information, please refer to Secure Wi-Fi features.

Bluetooth security

All Samsung devices with Bluetooth enabled implement the full Bluetooth specification. For more information on the Bluetooth specification and its security capabilities, refer to Bluetooth specifications.

Ultra-Wideband security

Samsung devices leverage Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology to establish wireless connections with precise location tracking, high-speed data transfer, and low power consumption. We’ve fully enabled the UWB capabilities, supported by the FiRa Consortium, to ensure seamless interoperability and robust security between compatible devices using UWB.

As a widely adopted specification, FiRa is supported by numerous mobile devices and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. By integrating FiRa, we provide essential security features such as:

• Secure key storage within a trusted element.
• Key management to govern the cryptographic flow of keys used in conjunction with UWB.
• Secure ranging capabilities to guarantee the reliability of measurements on compatible devices.