As of recent updates to the Android operating system, the ability for apps to access the MAC addresses of devices found on local network scans has been restricted. This change is a part of Google’s broader initiative to improve user privacy and data security, where one of the primary areas of focus has been limiting access to potentially sensitive hardware identifiers such as MAC addresses.
This is great news for our own personal privacy, but bad news for applications like PortDroid. As this means that while we can still perform network scans and provide insights on open ports, host names, and other network characteristics, it is no longer able to display the MAC addresses of detected devices. This change is beyond the control of individual app developers and is a result of alterations in the Android system’s fundamental accessibility permissions. As always, we are committed to adapting PortDroid to provide the best possible functionality within the evolving Android privacy framework.