❓ WA Parliament Question on Notice reveals several government departments and agencies monitor WiFi and Bluetooth MAC addresses for various purposes, including security, traffic management, and service analytics. The responses detail the locations, costs, and data handling practices associated with this monitoring.
AnsweredQoN 2665Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Does any department, agency and Government Trading Enterprise under the Minister's control maintain any wireless network that monitors a third-party's WiFi MAC (Media Access Control) or bluetooth address and if so: (a) Where is the wireless network located and who is being monitored; (b) What company supplies the software and/or hardware to monitor the addresses, what was the upfront and ongoing annual cost; (c) Why was the decision made to monitor the addresses; (d) What information is harvested as part of this monitoring, how is it stored and how long is it retained; and (e) Are the third-party's aware of the monitoring and do they have any way to opt-out?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
8 May 2018
Responded by
Minister for Transport; Planning; Lands
Response time
9 days
Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Department of Transport
Yes
(a) Mirrabooka, Cannington, Mandurah, Rockingham, Willagee, Midland, City West, Kelmscott and Joondalup Driver and Vehicle Service centres. The public are encouraged to use the free wifi to access DoT online services.
(b) Meraki LLC. Upfront cost: $150,000, ongoing annual cost: $30,000.
(c) MAC addresses are collected as part of the authentication process. MAC addresses are not used to identify or communicate with visitors. Location analytics use MAC addresses to historically map statistics such as visit length, repeat visitors and wifi engagement to provide insights into wifi adoption and centre usage.
(d) The vendor uses a one way hash function to anonymise MAC addresses before storage.
(e) An opt-out function is available via https://account.meraki.com/optout.
Main Roads Western Australia
Yes
(a) Wireless network detectors are located at fixed points on the Perth metropolitan road network and monitor any Bluetooth device in discovery mode.
(b) Software – South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. Hardware – SAGE Automation, Aldridge Traffic Controllers and Telstra. Upfront cost: $1.9m, ongoing annual cost: $60,000.
(c) To generate real time traffic data in order to manage road network performance
(d) MAC addresses are automatically encrypted for storage in an isolated database for 24 hours.
(e) Third parties can see whether they are potentially being monitored through their Bluetooth device. They can opt-out by disabling their Bluetooth discovery mode.
Public Transport Authority
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Pilbara Ports Authority
Yes
(a) PPA sites in Perth, Dampier and Port Hedland. PPA monitors corporate network users as well as guest wireless.
(b) HP Aruba. Upfront cost: $122,630, ongoing annual cost $2,070.
(c) To enhance security of the wireless system.
(d) MAC address, IP address, device type and connection time. Logs are retained for 30 days.
(e) Yes, guests can opt out by not accepting PPA’s terms of use.
Mid West Ports Authority
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Kimberley Ports Authority
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Southern Ports Authority
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Fremantle Ports Authority
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Landcorp
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Landgate
Yes
(a) Landgate offices at 1 Midland Square, Midland; 200 St George’s Terrace, Perth and 61 Victoria Street, Bunbury.MAC addresses are logged (monitored) as part of network authentication for all wireless devices connecting, or attempting to connect, to the Landgate network.
(b) CISCO Identity Services Engine. Upfront cost $3085.74; Ongoing annual cost $908.00.
(c) To authenticate devices connecting, or attempting to connect, to the Landgate network. Devices that have repeated unsuccessful attempts to connect to the Landgate network are ‘blocked’ for security reasons.
(d) No
(e) Not applicable
Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority
(a) WiFi networks are located at Elizabeth Quay, Perth Cultural Centre and Yagan Square for the MRA. Those monitored are active visitors (those who opt in to use the free Wi-fi) and passive visitors (those who have the Wi-Fi on their devices turned on).
(b) Upfront costs: PCC - $9,810; EQ - $90,000; YS - $189,286. Ongoing annual costs: PCC - $16,251.96; EQ - $49,807; YS - $71,442
(c) - To enforce time and data limits which help to avoid unfair and excessive use of the service.
- To enable Location Based Services (LBS) to provide analytics such as number of visitors, new vs repeat visitors and dwell times. Analysis of the data also provides evidence for improvements in facilities and amenity which is further supported by an online survey that relates to precinct amenity that Wi-Fi patrons are asked to complete.
(d) No other data is stored besides the anonymous WiFi MAC address of the device.
(e) Third parties must agree to terms and conditions before gaining access to free Wi-Fi. They can opt out by not logging on.
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Department of Transport
Yes
(a) Mirrabooka, Cannington, Mandurah, Rockingham, Willagee, Midland, City West, Kelmscott and Joondalup Driver and Vehicle Service centres. The public are encouraged to use the free wifi to access DoT online services.
(b) Meraki LLC. Upfront cost: $150,000, ongoing annual cost: $30,000.
(c) MAC addresses are collected as part of the authentication process. MAC addresses are not used to identify or communicate with visitors. Location analytics use MAC addresses to historically map statistics such as visit length, repeat visitors and wifi engagement to provide insights into wifi adoption and centre usage.
(d) The vendor uses a one way hash function to anonymise MAC addresses before storage.
(e) An opt-out function is available via https://account.meraki.com/optout.
Main Roads Western Australia
Yes
(a) Wireless network detectors are located at fixed points on the Perth metropolitan road network and monitor any Bluetooth device in discovery mode.
(b) Software – South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. Hardware – SAGE Automation, Aldridge Traffic Controllers and Telstra. Upfront cost: $1.9m, ongoing annual cost: $60,000.
(c) To generate real time traffic data in order to manage road network performance
(d) MAC addresses are automatically encrypted for storage in an isolated database for 24 hours.
(e) Third parties can see whether they are potentially being monitored through their Bluetooth device. They can opt-out by disabling their Bluetooth discovery mode.
Public Transport Authority
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Pilbara Ports Authority
Yes
(a) PPA sites in Perth, Dampier and Port Hedland. PPA monitors corporate network users as well as guest wireless.
(b) HP Aruba. Upfront cost: $122,630, ongoing annual cost $2,070.
(c) To enhance security of the wireless system.
(d) MAC address, IP address, device type and connection time. Logs are retained for 30 days.
(e) Yes, guests can opt out by not accepting PPA’s terms of use.
Mid West Ports Authority
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Kimberley Ports Authority
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Southern Ports Authority
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Fremantle Ports Authority
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Landcorp
No
(a)-(e) Not applicable
Landgate
Yes
(a) Landgate offices at 1 Midland Square, Midland; 200 St George’s Terrace, Perth and 61 Victoria Street, Bunbury.MAC addresses are logged (monitored) as part of network authentication for all wireless devices connecting, or attempting to connect, to the Landgate network.
(b) CISCO Identity Services Engine. Upfront cost $3085.74; Ongoing annual cost $908.00.
(c) To authenticate devices connecting, or attempting to connect, to the Landgate network. Devices that have repeated unsuccessful attempts to connect to the Landgate network are ‘blocked’ for security reasons.
(d) No
(e) Not applicable
Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority
(a) WiFi networks are located at Elizabeth Quay, Perth Cultural Centre and Yagan Square for the MRA. Those monitored are active visitors (those who opt in to use the free Wi-fi) and passive visitors (those who have the Wi-Fi on their devices turned on).
(b) Upfront costs: PCC - $9,810; EQ - $90,000; YS - $189,286. Ongoing annual costs: PCC - $16,251.96; EQ - $49,807; YS - $71,442
(c) - To enforce time and data limits which help to avoid unfair and excessive use of the service.
- To enable Location Based Services (LBS) to provide analytics such as number of visitors, new vs repeat visitors and dwell times. Analysis of the data also provides evidence for improvements in facilities and amenity which is further supported by an online survey that relates to precinct amenity that Wi-Fi patrons are asked to complete.
(d) No other data is stored besides the anonymous WiFi MAC address of the device.
(e) Third parties must agree to terms and conditions before gaining access to free Wi-Fi. They can opt out by not logging on.
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