[SOLVED] OS/X: is automatically adding "PublicWifi" and "XfinitiWifi" to preferred list
Other *NIXThis forum is for the discussion of any UNIX platform that does not have its own forum. Examples would include HP-UX, IRIX, Darwin, Tru64 and OS X.
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
OS/X: is automatically adding "PublicWifi" and "XfinitiWifi" to preferred list
(Maybe someone here will know ...)
My computer is repeatedly adding PublicWifi and xfinitiwifi to the "preferred networks" list, without my knowledge or consent. I have tried various options but the problem persists. I remove them, and they will reappear. (I never "joined" these networks.)
Although there is a xfinitiwifi open wireless within reach of here, there is no PublicWifi on the air.
Ideas? (OS/X El Capitan ...)
Last edited by sundialsvcs; 06-21-2016 at 10:30 PM.
Actually, I so-far think that I have traced it to the login of a particular (again, non-privileged) user. Perhaps OS/X keeps a per-user "preferred list," silently updating the master from it. We shall see . . .
I can say for certain that none of those users, nor I, ever consciously added these networks to any list anywhere, never knew about these networks and have never subscribed to them. But, this could be the mechanism ... or part of it ... by which these SSIDs continue to appear in the "trusted" list.
=====
I am going to mark this thread as "solved" because I believe that this is the mechanism ... and I am going to raise it as a security issue with Apple because I believe that it trusts a PList ... which is not a protected file. A mechanism should exist to strictly control (i.e. require admin password) what SSIDs are in the connection list, and this appears to be a way to circumvent it. Comments welcomed.
Last edited by sundialsvcs; 08-26-2016 at 09:55 AM.
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.