In Numeris Veritas: An Empirical Measurement of Wi-Fi Integration in Industry

Abstract

Traditional air gaps in industrial systems are disappearing as IT technologies permeate the OT domain, accelerating the integration of wireless solutions like Wi-Fi. Next-generation Wi-Fi standards (IEEE 802.11ax/be) meet performance demands for industrial use cases, yet their introduction raises significant security concerns. A critical knowledge gap exists regarding the empirical prevalence and security configuration of Wi-Fi in real-world industrial settings. This work addresses this by mining the global crowdsourced WiGLE database to provide a data-driven understanding. We create the first publicly available dataset of 1,087 high-confidence industrial Wi-Fi networks, examining key attributes such as SSID patterns, encryption methods, vendor types, and global distribution. Our findings reveal a growing adoption of Wi-Fi across industrial sectors but underscore alarming security deficiencies, including the continued use of weak or outdated security configurations that directly expose critical infrastructure. This research serves as a pivotal reference point, offering both a unique dataset and practical insights to guide future investigations into wireless security within industrial environments.