What Is Wi-Fi Protected Access
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a security protocol designed to secure wireless networks. It is an improvement over the previous security protocol, Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), which was found to be vulnerable to attacks. WPA was developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance in response to the weaknesses of WEP.
WPA uses a stronger encryption algorithm called Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to protect data transmitted over a wireless network. It also includes a feature called Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) that dynamically changes the encryption keys used to protect data, making it more difficult for hackers to decrypt the information.
One of the key features of WPA is its support for both personal and enterprise networks. WPA-Personal is designed for home networks and uses a pre-shared key (PSK) to authenticate devices connecting to the network. WPA-Enterprise, on the other hand, is designed for businesses and organizations and uses a more secure authentication method called Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP).
In addition to encryption and authentication, WPA also includes a feature called Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) that simplifies the process of adding new devices to a network. WPS allows users to connect devices to a network with the push of a button or by entering a PIN code, making it easier for non-technical users to secure their wireless networks.
Overall, WPA is a significant improvement over WEP in terms of security and ease of use. It provides strong encryption and authentication mechanisms to protect data transmitted over a wireless network, making it more difficult for hackers to intercept and decrypt sensitive information. With the increasing prevalence of wireless networks in homes and businesses, it is important to use security protocols like WPA to protect against potential threats.
Author: Stephanie Burrell
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