Wireless security
A close-up of a wireless router
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The correct order of wireless encryption modes in terms of security from high to low is 2 -> 1 -> 4 -> 3. This is based on the following comparison of the wireless encryption modes:
WPA3: WPA3 is the latest and most secure wireless encryption mode, introduced in 2018 as a successor to WPA2. WPA3 uses the AES encryption protocol and provides several security enhancements, such as stronger password protection, individualized encryption, forward secrecy, and protection against brute-force and dictionary attacks. WPA3 also supports two modes: WPA3-Personal and WPA3-Enterprise, which offer different levels of security for home and business networks. WPA3-Personal uses Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) to replace the Pre-Shared Key (PSK) method and provide more robust password-based authentication.WPA3-Enterprise uses 192-bit cryptographic strength to provide additional protection for sensitive data and networks123.
WPA2 Enterprise with RADIUS: WPA2 Enterprise with RADIUS is a wireless encryption mode that combines the security features of WPA2 Enterprise and the authentication features of RADIUS. WPA2 Enterprise is a mode of WPA2 that uses the AES encryption protocol and provides stronger security than WPA2 Personal, which uses the PSK method. WPA2 Enterprise uses the 802.1X standard to implement Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) methods, such as EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, or PEAP, to authenticate users and devices before granting access to the network. RADIUS is a protocol that allows a central server to manage authentication, authorization, and accounting for network access. RADIUS can integrate with WPA2 Enterprise to provide centralized and scalable authentication for large and complex networks, such as corporate or campus networks .
WPA2 Enterprise: WPA2 Enterprise is a wireless encryption mode that uses the AES encryption protocol and provides stronger security than WPA2 Personal, which uses the PSK method. WPA2 Enterprise uses the 802.1X standard to implement Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) methods, such as EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, or PEAP, to authenticate users and devices before granting access to the network. WPA2 Enterprise is suitable for business or public networks that require individual and secure authentication for each user or device .
WPA2 PSK: WPA2 PSK is a wireless encryption mode that uses the AES encryption protocol and provides better security than WEP or WPA, which use the TKIP encryption protocol. WPA2 PSK uses the Pre-Shared Key (PSK) method, which means that all users and devices share the same password or passphrase to join the network. WPA2 PSK is easy to set up and use, but it has some security drawbacks, such as being vulnerable to brute-force and dictionary attacks, or having the password compromised by a rogue user or device. WPA2 PSK is suitable for home or small networks that do not require individual authentication or advanced security features .
References:
Wi-Fi Security: Should You Use WPA2-AES, WPA2-TKIP, or Both? - How-To Geek, How-To Geek, March 12, 2023
WiFi Security: WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA3 And Their Differences - NetSpot, NetSpot, February 8, 2024
What is WPA3? And some gotchas to watch out for in this Wi-Fi security upgrade - CSO Online, CSO Online, November 18, 2020
[Types of Wireless Security Encryption - GeeksforGeeks], GeeksforGeeks, 2020
[Wireless Security Protocols: WEP, WPA, and WPA2 - Lifewire], Lifewire, February 17, 2021
[WPA vs. WPA2 vs. WPA3: Wi-Fi Security Explained - MakeUseOf], MakeUseOf, January 13, 2021
