Last week I attended a meetup where we talked about Wi-Fi security. Wanted to talk about why is this important especially for home devices. Devices should be routinely be replaced and/or updated not only for speed but for security reasons as well. Just cause a wireless device still works from the 90’s it should not be used due to outdated wireless encryption.
What can happen? You might have unwanted guess connecting to your network or your data going over the air unencrypted. Other problems could include people with unauthorized access using your internet to do illegal activities such as downloading or viewing illegal contents.
Types of protocol:
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) — Original 802.11 wireless security standard in 1997. Was supposed to be as secure as wired networks but it is easy to break. Some defense is better than none but should not use as the first option. The password can be cracked within a few minutes with a basic computer and widely available software tools such as “Aircrack” and “Cain & Abel”.
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) — WPA replaced WEP around 2003. This method replaced WEP, use TKIP, Message Integrity Check (MIC), and RC4 encryption
Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA 2) — 802.11i standard to provide better wireless security featuring AES with a 128-bit key. Launched in 2004.
Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA 3) — Next-gen wifi security. Announced around 2018. New features include protection against dictionary attacks by implementing a new key exchange protocol. Protects data traffic even if a password is compromised after the data was transmitted
WiFi Protected Setup WPS — Automated encryption setup for wireless networks at a push of a button, but is severely flawed and vulnerable. Always disable WPS.
Note: If anything is incorrect or unclear. Will update upon notification. Just a student diving into the field.
