Protecting your WiFi by hiding the name? This is a false sense of security

Security, especially when it comes to WiFi networks, is often the subject of misunderstandings and clichés. In this series of articles in our WiFI column , we aim to debunk some of the most common myths. We offer clear explanations, concrete data, and practical advice. The goal is to help you navigate the world of wireless connections with greater awareness.

In each article, we will address a myth, analyze its origins, present technical evidence, and conclude with our considerations and suggestions.

Let’s start with one of the most common: is hiding your network name (SSID) really an effective way to increase security?

How it works:

Hiding your WiFi network simply means disabling the broadcast of the SSID (Service Set Identifier) in beacon frames . This means disabling the periodic signals sent by the access point to announce the presence of the WiFi network to nearby devices.

In practice, the network name no longer appears in the list of available networks. However, this measure can be considered “purely cosmetic” and offers no real protection ; in fact, it can become a weakness.

Let’s see what happens in detail:

1. The access point stops actively advertising the network :
   By disabling SSID broadcast, the AP continues to send beacon frames ¹ , but the SSID field is left blank or set to “null.” This makes the network name appear hidden.
2. Clients must send active requests to find the network :
   Clients configured to connect to a hidden network can no longer passively discover it. They must therefore send active probe request ² to search for that specific network, including the SSID in the packet.
3. The SSID is included in clear text in probe requests :
   Even if the AP no longer advertises the network, client devices still reveal the SSID every time they attempt to connect. These requests contain the network name in clear text and can be easily intercepted.
4. The connection process and related information are transmitted in clear text :
   Probe requests and their responses are unencrypted . This means that anyone listening in on your WiFi traffic—with freely available, easy-to-use tools—can detect the name of the hidden network in seconds.

Evidence

⚠️ This video is for educational purposes only! Do not use it for illegal or unauthorized purposes.⚠️

In this video created by Matteo Brandi we want to give practical evidence on:

✅ How hidden WiFi networks work

✅ What tools to use to detect a hidden SSID

✅ How to find the network name easily and conveniently

Conclusion

As shown in the video above, hiding your network name (SSID) offers no real security benefit . In fact:

• Hackers can intercept the network name within minutes , making this “protection” entirely illusory.
• A hidden network may even attract more attention , because a non-standard configuration may be seen as a potentially interesting target to explore.
• Hiding the SSID is not an effective security measure : the network name can be easily detected even with basic tools, making this practice useless against any attack, even unsophisticated ones.

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RedWave Team

RedWave Team is a group of experts in cybersecurity and WiFi networks, with both offensive and defensive skills. Offre una visione completa e multidisciplinare del panorama della sicurezza informatica. Coordinato da Roland Kapidani, Il gruppo è composto da Cristiano Giannini, Francesco Demarcus, Manuel Roccon, Marco Mazzola, Matteo Brandi, Mattia Morini, Vincenzo Miccoli, Pietro Melillo.