Wireless Encryption - CompTIA A+ 220-1102 - 2.2

Confidentiality Challenge: Maintaining the confidentiality of data sent over wireless networks.
- Importance of authentication: Users must authenticate (username, password, multi-factor authentication).
Data Protection During Transmission: All information must be encrypted to prevent unauthorized access.
- Message Integrity Check (MIC): Ensures data integrity during transmission—verifies the data received matches what was sent.
Vulnerability of Wireless Networks: Signals can be intercepted by anyone nearby.
- Encryption Solutions: All data sent over wireless networks should be encrypted to protect against eavesdropping.

WPA2: Introduced in 2004, utilizes block cipher mode.
- Cipher Used: CCMP (Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol).
  - Ensures data confidentiality and provides a message integrity check using CBC-MAC.
WPA3: Introduced in 2018, offers enhanced security features.
- Cipher Used: GCMP (Galois/Counter Mode Protocol).
  - Provides stronger encryption and utilizes AES for encryption and GMAC for message integrity.

802.1X Authentication: Common in workplace settings; users log in with individual credentials (username/password).
- Pre-Shared Key (PSK) Authentication: Common in home networks; everyone shares the same passphrase.
Security Issues with WPA2: Vulnerable to attacks due to four-way handshake.
- Brute Force Attacks: Attackers can capture handshake hashes, perform offline brute force attacks, compromising network security.
WPA3 Improvements: Introduces a mutual authentication method to prevent hash capture.
- Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE): Enhanced security without sending key information across the network.
- Utilizes a method similar to Diffie-Hellman for session key creation.

Open System: No authentication required; commonly found in public access points (e.g., coffee shops).
Personal Authentication: WPA2-Personal (WPA2-PSK) or WPA3-Personal, where a single pre-shared key is used for access.
Enterprise Authentication: WPA2/WPA3-Enterprise or 802.1X; uses centralized backend authentication (e.g., RADIUS server) for user credential management.