Wi-Fi Security: Understanding 802.11i Protocol and Cryptographic Protections
Cryptographic Protections of 802.11i Protocol
The 802.11i protocol, widely used in Wi-Fi networks, ensures cryptographic protections such as authentication, confidentiality, and data integrity. These protections are implemented through the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), a robust encryption algorithm known for its security strength.
Limitation of 802.11i Protection
Despite its strong cryptographic measures, the 802.11i protocol has a limitation. It can only provide security at the link level, which means that once data leaves the secured Wi-Fi network, its security is no longer guaranteed by 802.11i. This limitation highlights the importance of implementing additional security measures for end-to-end protection.
Link vs. End-to-End Security
Link security, as offered by the 802.11i protocol, secures data on the direct path between communicating devices within the Wi-Fi network. On the other hand, end-to-end security ensures data protection from the origin to the intended recipient, even across multiple network hops. It is crucial to differentiate between these two levels of security to understand the scope of data protection in Wi-Fi communication.