2.4 Network Security
2.4.1 Secure Network Protocol
The implementation of secure network protocols can lower the risk of data leakage and tampering when users connect their devices to a network. MIUI users can establish their virtual private network (VPN) over public network connections. MIUI supports multiple VPN modes including PPTP, L2TP/IPSec PSK, L2TP/IPSec RSK, IPSec Xauth PSK, IPSec Xauth RSA, and IPSec Hybrid RSA. Users can select VPN mode as needed to access and transmit sensitive data.
MIUI's WLAN connection supports WEP, WPA/WPA2 PSK, 802.1×EAP, WAPI, and many other authentication methods to facilitate users' various security level needs.
MIUI's WLAN hotspot function is disabled by default. When the user enables the function, the WPA2 PSK authentication method is used by default to ensure the security of the connection and it also supports the configuration of terminal MAC address blacklisting.
2.4.2 Identifying SMS messages from Fake Base Stations
MIUI offers users features to detect SMS messages sent from fake base stations, even if the user has not enabled protection from such stations. Such features do not rely on chips and are available to MIUI users of all models and versions.
To detect fake base station SMS messages, the mobile terminal's AI machine learning model analyzes the characteristics of the fake base station accessing the phone and the textual features of the SMS messages. The model then determines the degree of suspicion of the base station.
MIUI identifies fake base station messages offline on the user's mobile terminal and alerts the user whenever such an SMS message is detected.
2.4.3 Wi-Fi Probe Protection
The Wi-Fi probe box identifies each user by monitoring Wi-Fi signals in the air sent by other electronic devices to acquire the MAC address from the data packet. MIUI is capable of sending data packets with random MAC addresses to prevent Wi-Fi probes from obtaining the real MAC address of the mobile phone*.
*Note: Most devices using MIUI 14 already supports Wi-Fi probe protection in the unconnected state. In addition, mobile phones upgraded to Android Q or newer versions support Wi-Fi probe protection in a connected state.