Android 17 adds new protections against Wi-Fi tracking and web snooping

Google has announced a batch of network security changes coming in Android 17, aimed at making it harder for network operators, snoops, and scammers to track user activity. The changes include support for Encrypted Client Hello (ECH), a privacy standard that encrypts the domain name of websites visited, preventing outside observers from seeing it.

ECH works with private DNS and is enabled by default for apps targeting Android 17 that use supporting networking libraries such as OkHttp, WebView, or HttpEngine. Google says Android is the first major mobile operating system to roll out broad ECH support, and it is working with Jigsaw and app developers to speed up adoption.

Other changes include Local Network Protection, which requires apps to ask before scanning or connecting to other devices on the home network; Certificate Transparency on by default, forcing certificates into a public log; and the ability for participating mobile operators to switch off 2G for their subscribers, reducing exposure to fake base stations that push phishing texts.