Summary
- Android 15 Beta 1 introduces a new Allow WEP networks toggle for improved Wi-Fi safety.
- WEP is an older wireless protocol and less secure than WPA, making the new toggle a helpful addition for users who frequently use public wireless networks.
- Separately, Android 15 Beta 1 also includes a Cellular Network Security page with toggles for security notifications and encryption requirements.
Google unleashed the first Android 15 Beta earlier this week, moving closer to its stable release later this fall. Although we’ve ascertained what’s new with Android 15 over the multiple developer previews and now Beta 1, there are some tidbits of info that continue to trickle in. Android expert and one of our contributors, Mishaal Rahman, has generated a list of all the new features spotted in Beta 1, including one pertaining to Wi-Fi network safety.
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Writing on his Telegram channel, Rahman details a new Allow WEP networks toggle within Android’s Network settings. In Android 14, navigating to Settings > Network & internet > Internet > Network preferences returns a couple of toggles, Turn on Wi-Fi automatically and Notify for public networks. But Android 15 Beta 1 adds the aforementioned third toggle which should ideally be disabled due to security reasons.
Android 14’s Network preferences page vs Android 15 Beta 1
For the uninitiated, WEP or Wired Equivalent Privacy is an outdated wireless protocol that has been largely replaced by the newer WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) standard, with WPA3 being its most recent version.
This is also echoed by the disclaimer accompanying the new toggle in Android 15 Beta 1, which reads, WEP is an older security protocol that’s less secure. While this may not exactly be a big change for many, this toggle could be handy for people who frequently work on public wireless networks, especially while traveling.
In addition to the Allow WEP networks toggle we discussed above, Android 15 Beta 1 also adds a new Cellular Network Security section within Settings > Security & privacy > More security & privacy, first revealed by Rahman late last month. This page contains two toggles — Security notifications and Require encryption.
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Enabling the first toggle would notify users whenever “the cellular network you are connected to is insecure due to lack of encryption,” or if the network attempts to record IMEI or IMSI details. On the other hand, the Require encryption toggle explains that turning it on is “more secure,” with the caveat that it may not work in some locations, though it shouldn’t interfere with emergency calls.
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