Understanding the Importance and Evolution of Wireless Security Protocols

• Wireless Security Protocols such as Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) are used to ensure wireless security.
• The Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA 3) is the most recent wireless protocol which comes with more enhanced encryption abilities for both private and public networks.

What is Wireless security?

Wireless security is the prevention of unauthorized users from accessing your wireless network and stealing the data using your Wi-Fi network. To be precise, wireless security ensures protection to a Wi-Fi network from unauthorized access.

What is the need for Wireless Security Protocols?

Wireless Security Protocols such as Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and Wireless Protected Access (WPA) are used to ensure wireless security.

In today’s enterprise world, Wi-Fi or wireless networking is significantly important for keeping people connected to the internet. However, Wi-Fi is highly vulnerable to hacking. This is where the need for ensuring strong wireless security with the help of wireless security protocols comes in.

What are the types of Wireless Security Protocols?

There are four types of wireless protocols, which include:

• Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
• Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)
• Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA 2)
• Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA 3)

The evolution of wireless protocols

Wireless protocols protect your wireless network from hacking by encrypting private data as it is being broadcast over the airwaves. The Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is the first wireless security protocol that was developed in 1997. However, this protocol contained several flaws, therefore, the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) was developed to deal with the flaws that were found in the WEP protocol.

Later, WPA 2 was developed with enhanced features and encryption capabilities. This enhanced protocol uses Counter Mode Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP) for data encryption.

The Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA 3) is the most recent wireless protocol which comes with more enhanced encryption abilities for both private and public networks.

How to secure a wireless network?

• In order to protect your Wi-Fi network from unauthorized access, it is always recommended to hide the name of your wireless network.
• Experts recommend checking for rogue Wi-Fi access points.
• It always best to upgrade your Wi-Fi encryption and secure your Wi-fi network by resetting a strong and complex password for your wireless protocol.