Overview
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP), the first two protocols used to secure wireless communications, was found to be insufficient as a result of numerous known vulnerabilities as wireless networks became more widely used. As a result, the Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) protocol was put into place.
This paper will first go over the advantages of the Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) protocol over earlier ones used to secure wireless network communications as well as the vulnerabilities it addresses. It will then go over the various ways that the Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) protocol can be used to secure a wireless network.
What is WPA2-PSK?
Wi-Fi Protected Access 2—Pre-Shared-Key, often known as WPA2-Personal, is a type of encryption that uses either the TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) or AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption mechanism to safeguard network access and data transfer. Without an enterprise authentication server, it is intended to safeguard networks for home users and small offices. By entering a passphrase in plain English between eight and 63 characters long, the user can use WPA2-PSK to encrypt a network.
How Does WPA2-PSK Work?
WPA2-PSK requires a router with a passphrase that must be between 8 and 63 characters long to encrypt the network's data. It makes use of a system called TKIP, or Temporal Key Integrity Protocol, which creates individual encryption keys for each wireless client using the network SSID and the password.
Although WPA2-PSK (TKIP) may be utilized with older devices that aren't WPA2-PSK (AES) capable, WPA2-PSK (AES) is safer.
As soon as a user connects to the router, they are required to provide a password to confirm their identity. If the password is entered correctly, the user is connected to the Wifi network.
Users can protect their data while it is transported via wifi between a router and other network devices by using WPA2-PSK. With this most recent Wi-Fi security generation, linked devices may all access the same key. WPA2-PSK is another name for WPA2 Personal.
Evolution of Wireless Network Security Protocol
When contemplating data transfer via a wireless network, wireless security is a crucial factor. Data loss, virus installation, account credential theft, and other problems might result from insecure data transport. Before moving on to WPA2-PSK, it's crucial to comprehend the development of the fundamental wireless security protocols and their configuration, including WPA, AES, WPA3, TKIP, WPA2, and WEP.
WEP
WEP, or Wired Equivalent Privacy, was the first wireless network security standard launched in 1997. It employs a 64- or 128-bit static hexadecimal value key and uses a single key to encrypt all data, independent of the device. Data snoopers are unable to understand the data thanks to WEP. However, some tools to decrypt the data were created, which prompted the creation of WPA.
WPA
The Wi-Fi Alliance made adjustments to WEP throughout time in response to its shortcomings, resulting in WPA, in 2003. WPA is centered on TKIP, which uses 128-bit value keys and Message Integrity Checks for each data packet (MIC). Despite making it more difficult for attackers to decode the data, data invaders were nevertheless able to do so due to flaws in some WPA components.
WPA2
It wasn't until 2006 that WPA2, which is based on a Robust Security Network (RSN), became a requirement for all new wireless devices. The introduction of CCMP, which utilizes AES algorithms, is the primary difference between WPA2 and WPA. Keys used by AES can be 128, 192, or 256 bits long. As a result, it cannot be broken, not even with great power. There are two WPA2 modes: WPA2-PSK and WPA2-Enterprise.
WPA3
WPA3 is the third version of WPA and was released in 2018. The corporate version of WPA3 replaces the MAC in WPA2 with 256-bitAES GCM and SHA-384. Along with the AES-128 minimum algorithm encryption, PSK is replaced by SAE (Simultaneous Authentication of Equals).
TKIP
To avoid collision attacks, TKIP generates a distinct 48-bit unique identifier for each datagram and employs an increasing key length of up to 128 bits. Due to the 48-bit serial number's very long replication time, TKIP also aids to reduce the likelihood of replay attacks. However, since all an attacker needs is a verification key, it is open to assault.
AES
AES employs the CCMP protocol to encipher plaintext into encrypted message rather than stream ciphers. Due to the increased difficulty of data decryption by hackers, it has a key size of up to 256 bits.
WPA2-PSK Vulnerabilities
For networks in small companies and homes, WPA2-PSK is created so that users may feel secure connecting to it. Although WPA2-PSK is safe, it distributes a password to all users, making it possible for an attacker to snoop on the network.
Due to its simplicity and only need one password, WPA2-PSK is often used in public places like airports, libraries, and colleges. However, if your WPA2-PSK is broken, a hacker will have easy access to your network and the ability to carry out the following harmful actions:
- Switch Spoofing.
- STP (spanning tree protocol) assaults.
- Spoofing of DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration.
- Spoofing of Media Access Control (MAC).
- A double tagging.
- Spoofing of ARP (Address Resolution Protocol).
It takes honesty on the part of each user to keep the password hidden on their device while using a single password for network access. The reason behind this is that if one user's account is compromised, then all users are vulnerable to hacking.
If a hacker manages to get their hands on the Pre-Shared Key and records the key handshake when a user enters the network, they may launch brute force assaults like dictionary attacks and decode all device communication.
Various WPA2-PSK Security Options
The wifi-routers provide a wide variety of WPA-PSK security options. A few of them include:
WPA2-PSK (TKIP)
WPA2-PSK (TKIP) is a wireless secure protocol that combines CCMP with the TKIP data encryption algorithm. It creates encryption keys by combining SSID with a pre-shared keys. Despite the fact that it is not a secure protocol, it may be used to connect with older hardware that are unable to connect to the most modern WPA2-PSK standard (AES).
WPA2-PSK (AES)
This employs the most recent AES encryption technology and is the safest WPA2 personal version available. Long passwords are used by WPA2-PSK (AES) to safeguard data, providing residential users with a much more secure system. However, as WPA2 requires more computing capacity to secure networks, users who are using outdated hardware may notice decreased network speed.
WPA2-PSK (TKIP/AES)
When an individual's machine does not endorse AES, they frequently utilise WPA2-PSK (TKIP/AES). Utilizing WPA2-PSK (TKIP/AES) instead of WPA2-PSK (AES) may require users to send data more slowly, which might lead to a drop in productivity.
Advantages and Disadvantages of WPA2-PSK
Although WPA2-PSK is a common method of enhancing wireless security, it is not flawless.The following are some of WPA2-PSK's many advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages
- Uses the AES encryption technique to provide an extra degree of security.
- Removes the danger of employing a common password.
- This wireless security standard is compatible with both new and old devices since it supports the TKIP and AES protocols.
Disadvantages
- The sole drawback of WPA2 is the amount of processing power required to secure your network.
- Networks with high network traffic experience decreased performance.
- Older access points that were developed and constructed before WPA2 and only integrated WPA2 through a firmware upgrade are at fault for this.
- To reduce speed deterioration, the majority of more recent access points have been given more competent hardware.
Better Alternatives to WPA2-PSK
WPA2-PSK is safe enough for a home network since users may modify their passwords if they think an unauthorized individual is accessing their network.
However, WPA2-Enterprise may be used to provide unique passwords to each participant and prevent access to the network as a whole if users are unable to compromise on security. It separates the network according to the user. Although the deployment of 802.1x is complicated due to the use of RADIUS, it may be utilized for higher levels of security since it allows for certificate-based authentication rather than credentials.
WPA-PSK vs WPA2-PSK
- Compared to WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK provides a fast internet connectivity.
- While WPA-PSK uses software security, WPA2-PSK uses hardware security module.
- WPA2-PSK employs the latest security technology WPA2 in addition to either TKIP or AES encryption, while WPA-PSK only supports the TKIP encryption.
- With lengthier passwords than WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK is more secure.
Conclusion
- We should establish our network security to the highest level possible in today's wireless network environment to ensure that no one can access our network.
- WPA3 should be used by users to enhance authentication and encryption while facilitating connections.
- The WPA2-PSK authentication method was replaced with WPA3-SAE (Simultaneous Authentication of Equals).
