Media access control (MAC) address privacy handling

A wireless station (STA) comprising:

• a memory device to store a permanent media access control (MAC) address of the wireless STA;
• and
• a processing device coupled to the memory device, wherein the processing device is to:
• generate a randomized MAC address;
• connect to an access point (AP) using the randomized MAC address;
• receive, from the AP, a request for the permanent MAC address;
• determine whether to send the permanent MAC address;
• responsive to a determination to send the permanent MAC address, encrypt the permanent MAC address to obtain an encrypted MAC address;
• and
• send, to the AP, a response to the request, the response comprising the encrypted MAC address, wherein the request and the response are part of a four-way handshake in which the wireless STA is to:
• receive, from the AP, a first message, wherein the first message comprises a first nonce generated at the AP;
• send, to the AP, a second message, wherein the second message comprises a second nonce generated at the wireless station;
• derive a pairwise temporal key (PTK) using a pairwise master key (PMK), the first nonce, the second nonce, the first MAC address, and the permanent MAC address;
• receive, from the AP, a third message, wherein the third message comprises an encrypted session key and the request for the permanent MAC address;
• and
• send, to the AP, a fourth message, wherein the fourth message comprises the encrypted MAC address, wherein the encrypted MAC address is encrypted using at least a portion of the PTK.

A wireless network of wireless devices comprising:

• a first wireless device;
• and
• a second wireless device, wherein the first wireless device and the second wireless device are connected using a first media access control (MAC) address, the first MAC being a randomized MAC address, and wherein:
• the second wireless device is to send to the first wireless device a first message comprising a first nonce generated at the second wireless device;
• the first wireless device is to send to the second wireless device a second message comprising a second nonce generated at the first wireless device;
• the first wireless device is to derive a temporal key using at least the first nonce, the second nonce, the first MAC address, and the permanent MAC address;
• the second wireless device is to send to the first wireless device a third message comprising an encrypted session key and a request for a permanent MAC address;
• the first wireless device is to encrypt the permanent MAC address with at least a portion of the temporal key to obtain an encrypted MAC address;
• and
• the first wireless device is to send to the second wireless device a fourth message comprising the encrypted MAC address.