Security boost for WiFi with new WPA3 certification

WiFi Alliance begins WPA3 certification.

WiFi devices currently use the WPA2 protocol, but all this is set to change with the rollout of WPA3 certification.

WAP2 Wi-FI Certified devices are still secure, with billions of them in use every day around the world. However, the WPA2 protocol has been around since 2004 so a replacement is long overdue.

Up steps the WPA3 protocol, with several added new protections.

Safer use of public Wi-Fi – to strengthen user privacy in open networks through individualised data encryption. Opportunistic Wireless Encryption (OWE) is a “new” encryption based on RFC8110. It enables public and guest WLANs to be encrypted and secure without the need for a personal VPN.

Automatically increase protection – even when users choose passwords that fall short of typical complexity recommendations.

Interface more easily with your phone and the IoT – simplifying the process of configuring security for devices that have limited or no display interface. A simple QR code on the device can be scanned using a phone to add it to a network.

A cryptographic boost to 192-bit – aligned with the Commercial National Security Algorithm (CNSA) Suite from the Committee on National Security Systems, WPA3 will further protect Wi-Fi networks with higher security requirements.

Prevention of hacking.

WPA3 implements Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) which requires interaction to authenticate and receive keys. This should help counteract, dictionary attacks, where hackers use apps such as Cain and Abel, John the Ripper, and L0phtCrack to capture data from a WiFi stream and run through endless possibilities of words until the password is cracked.

The aim of WPA3 is to maintain data integrity on networks requiring the highest security and bring a much-needed update to WPA2.

It is expected that WPA3 certification will be universally adopted by late 2019 and until then, WPA2 remains mandatory.

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