802.11 Gets A Replacement for WEP

The much-lamented WEP will finally be set aside as the Wi-Fi Alliance announces early implementation of an upcoming security spec. Better yet, it may just take a firmware update to upgrade your gear.

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802.11 Planet today reported that the Wi-Fi Alliance is pushing ahead with a replacement for Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), the ubiquitous but highly vulnerable standard for security in 802.11 networks.

Based on the upcoming 802.11i specification, Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) generates a unique key each time a client connects with an 802.11 network, eliminating one of the biggest problems with WEP, which was its largely static key scheme.

Better news yet for many considering an upgrade to existing 802.11 gear, the new security standard will be applicable as a firmware/software upgrade for most Wi-Fi compatible products.

802.11 has the complete story.

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