On older MacBook devices, you were able to remove the AirPort chips, which contained the wi-fi and bluetooth functionality. The newer models use the system-on-a-chip approach. Could anything be done to disable wi-fi and Bluetooth there?
Perhaps this can be better asked: can the 339S025 Wi-Fi + bluetooth chip be removed on the new MacBook models?
Is this a good question?
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Turning off or removing both WiFi and Bluetooth would be needed, to be 'Air-Gapped' from a connectivity perspective.
Removing or physically disabling the WiFi and Bluetooth would be prohibitive in the newer MacBook models. You would need to go back to the older MacBook Pro retina models, then you could easily remove the AirPort board.
The only way to do it in this model would be to setup a second user account and make the first the Admin account and with in it disable the services locking down the system and then use the other user account which does not have permission to alter the settings.
No matter how you go about it 'air gapping' does not protect your system from someone seeing your system, you would need get a TEMPEST rated system.
Air gapping only protects your system from spyware communicating back to its source. Thats if you've been infected to start with. A good anti-virus and malware application can protect you from any of these.
I think you are over reaching here, the usage of your system would be so constrained to make this impractical.
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Thanks for the reply!
I have disabled the settings - however - who knows what kind of attacks are possible these days.
Could the chip be damaged somehow to prevent it the MacBook from recognizing it? Perhaps the wires or pins surrounding it can be cut up?
Sorry, thats not a workable option in this model.
Are you surfing unsafe web sites? If you are then you would be at risk of picking something up. It wouldn't make any difference if your over a wired network Vs a wireless at that point.
I think you are over doing the risk here. MacOS is quite tight and as long as you maintain it with the latest updates the risks are minimal. An open WiFi or Bluetooth port can be controlled using a good firewall app.
MS Windows is more risky than MacOS is as it has carried a lot of support baggage over the years.
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