Most people have at least a vague idea of what an IP address is, and few understand the implications of disclosing it to risk actors and other third-parties as well.
But what are MAC addresses? What are they for and how can they be exploited by cyber criminals? More importantly, how would one hide their MAC address?
What is MAC address? Why hide it?
Every device that connects to the Internet has a Media Access Control (MAC) address, which usually consists of six sets of two characters. So, a typical MAC address would look something like this: 18-3B-5D-03-8A-40.
MAC addresses are like ID numbers of computers, smartphones, routers etc. Your computer or smartphone will not be able to function properly or connect to a network without a MAC address.
These addresses do not change automatically like IP addresses. Rather, they are assigned by the manufacturers themselves. However, a device can have more than one MAC address. For example, if your laptop has both built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet ports, it has two MAC addresses.
Precisely because MAC addresses are essentially burned-in, they play a role in securing the network.
Let’s say a network administrator wants to block a certain device from accessing the network. What security mechanisms will they use? A quick way to do this would be to block the MAC address of that device. Alternatively, they can whitelist only certain MAC addresses – this is a common access control method known as MAC address filtering.
Unlike IP addresses, MAC addresses are not public. This means that the websites you visit do not know your MAC address. However, any network you’re connected to can access your MAC address. This could put you at risk if that network is public or has been compromised.
Whether you want to bypass some restrictions, protect yourself from impersonation attacks and similar cybercrime, or simply want to enhance your privacy, knowing how to hide your MAC address is useful.
how to spoof mac address
Before hiding your MAC address, you must first find out what it is. It will only take a few minutes, no matter what device and operating system you’re using.
In Windows, the easiest way to do this is through the Command Prompt. press Start button, type “cmd,” and launch it. In command prompt, type “ipconfig /all” and press entered, Your MAC address will be displayed next to “Physical Address”.
If you’re using a Mac computer, launch the Apple menu and click System Preferences > Network, Select your network connection, navigate advancedand then click hardware tab. Your MAC address will be displayed here.
On both Android and iOS phones, you can find your MAC address by accessing the Settings menu. so, go to Adjustmentand navigate about (usually located at the bottom of the Settings menu). On Android, you may have to navigate status either hardware information, The process is almost the same on most smartphones.
Just as it is possible to find out what your MAC address is, it is also possible to hide it. Technically, since you can’t connect to an access point without a MAC address, you’re just spoofing and changing it, but the point is: you become more difficult to trace.
how to change mac address on windows
In Windows operating system, press Start button, type “device manager”, and launch it. explore and expand network adapterThen right-click on your adapter and choose Property, go to advanced tab, and find “Locally Administered Address” in the property list. Your MAC address will be displayed below Value, All you have to do is type in a new one, and restart your computer.
It may not work in some versions of Windows, but you can still change your MAC address using third-party software. Technicium is a free tool that lets you do just that. Download and install the software, then launch it. In Technicium, click random mac address tab, then change now, and restart your computer.
How to Change MAC Address in macOS
The easiest way to change your MAC address in macOS is through the Terminal app. You can access it by opening finderand navigate Applications > Utilities > Terminal,
After launching the Terminal app, type in this command:
openssl rand-hex 6 | sed ‘s/(..)/1:/g; s/.$//’
Disconnect your Mac from the Internet and type the following (replace “muo” with a random MAC address):
sudo ifconfig en0 ether muo
Note that your MAC address will revert to the default after you restart your computer, so you must run the same command every time you want to hide it.
Spoofing and randomizing the MAC address of a smartphone (Android and iOS)
MAC randomization is enabled by default in newer versions of the iOS and Android operating systems. Thanks to this feature, your MAC address changes whenever you connect to a new network.
If you want to check if your smartphone has built-in MAC randomization or not, here’s how to do it.
If you have an Android smartphone, access it Adjustment menu and navigate relationship, Tap the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to, then tap the gear icon . Expand the menu if necessary and locate “MAC Address Type”. It will say either “Randomized Mac” or “Phone Mac” – you’ll most likely be able to switch between the two options.
Apple added automatic Mac randomization in iOS 14. This feature is enabled by default, but you can disable it by accessing Adjustment Menu , find the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to, and toggle the slider next to it. private address,
It is theoretically possible to manually change the MAC address of your smartphone. However, your device needs to be rooted or jailbroken. Unless you are very confident in your skills, you should not jailbreak your iPhone or root your Android smartphone, as doing so can cause irreparable problems.
It is important to know how to change the MAC address
Knowing what MAC addresses are, how they work, and why you should consider changing them in certain situations can make a real difference when it comes to cyber security. Likewise, knowing how to disable and enable MAC randomization can save you a lot of trouble, and help avoid potential connectivity and security issues.
With that said, if you use public Wi-Fi often, make sure you familiarize yourself with other common cyber threats, and understand how hackers weaponize access points.
