Method to anonymize client MAC addresses for cloud reporting

A network gateway device for anonymizing user identifiable information to be transmitted outside of a local network, the network gateway device comprising:

• a memory storing computer-readable instructions;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to,
• generate a first network entity hash input based on (i) a first MAC address assigned to a client station of the local network, (ii) a second MAC address assigned to the network gateway device of the local network, and (iii) a first identifier of a first cloud entity of a first external network to which data of the client station is to be transmitted;
• generate a first hash value output based on the first network entity hash input and a random token value using a hashing function;
• generate a first anonymized MAC address associated with the client station based on the first hash value output;
• and
• transmit the first anonymized MAC address associated with the client station to the first cloud entity of the first external network.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing program instructions for anonymizing user identifiable information to be transmitted outside of a local network, which when executed by a processor of a network gateway device, cause the network gateway device to:

• generate a first network entity hash input based on (i) a first MAC address assigned to a client station of the local network, (ii) a second MAC address assigned to the network gateway device of the local network, and (iii) a first identifier of a first cloud entity of a first external network to which data of the client station is to be transmitted;
• generate a first hash value output based on the first network entity hash input and a random token value using a hashing function;
• generate a first anonymized MAC address associated with the client station based on the first hash value output;
• and
• transmit the first anonymized MAC address associated with the client station to the first cloud entity of the first external network.