WPA
WPA stands for Wi-Fi Protected Access, a security protocol used to encrypt and secure wireless computer networks by preventing unauthorized access. It provides stronger security than older protocols like WEP, using methods like encryption and message integrity checks to protect user data. WPA has evolved over time, with the more secure WPA2 being widely used and now being succeeded by WPA3.
Key features and modes
Encryption and Authentication: WPA was designed to secure wireless networks by providing encryption for data and authentication to verify users.
Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP): The original WPA used TKIP, which was a more secure version of the algorithm used by its predecessor, WEP.
WPA modes: WPA operates in two main modes:
WPA-Personal (PSK): Uses a pre-shared key (password) for a home or small office network.
WPA-Enterprise (EAP): Uses a centralized authentication server for larger organizations, authenticating each user with unique credentials.
WPA2 and WPA3: WPA2, introduced in 2004, provided a more robust security upgrade with stronger encryption (AES) and is the most widely used version today. WPA3 is the latest standard, offering enhanced security features, especially for public networks.
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