|
Security for WLANs continues to evolve. The
newest standards offer a very high level of
encryption to protect data transfers. Here are
some wireless security basics. WEP
(Wired Equivalent Privacy) | This security
protocol for WLANs encrypts data over radio
waves, protecting it in transit. Advocates
originally believed WEP provides the same level
of protection as a wired LAN, but recently the
standard was found to have security holes.
WPA (Wi-Fi
Protected Access) | Designed to compensate for
the shortcomings of the WEP security standard,
WPA ensures that only authorized users can
access the network. The technology works with
WEP-enabled products, and adds improved
encryption, while allowing user authentication
through the extensible authentication protocol (EAP).
EAP is built on a highly secure public
encryption system.
802.11i
| This security protocol, recently ratified
under IEEE's all encompassing 802.11 banner,
will eventually replace the interim WPA security
standard. 802.11i bolsters protection by using
Advanced Encryption Standard, which is so
difficult to crack that it meets government
security standards. Wireless access points have
begun shipping with 802.11i installed. |
