Wi-Fi Is Getting a Big Security Upgrade
The next generation of secure Wi-Fi is here. The Wi-Fi Alliance announced yesterday (June 25) WPA3, the latest standard for Wi-Fi security.
In the future, WPA3 will be required for a device to be certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Currently, WPA2 is required.
However, the transition will be a process that will take years as manufacturers introduce routers, access points, computers, smartphones, and other WPA3-compliant wireless devices.
WPA3 consumer devices use an algorithm called Simultaneous Peer Authentication that prevents hackers from accessing your Wi-Fi network by guessing your password multiple times. As with modern iPhones, several failed attempts will temporarily block new assumptions.
WPA3 is also compatible with forwarding security, which assigns its own encryption token to each authorized session. This means that anyone who has guessed a W-Fi network password can not see data transmissions from other devices on the network. There are also proprietary management frameworks, a feature that should prevent anyone from trying to free them from the Wi-Fi network with commands that should only come from your router.
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Two other new initiatives are not part of WPA3 but could be even more useful in the short term.
Wi-Fi Certified Easy Connect, also introduced yesterday, makes it easy to connect devices with a limited interface or no interface, such as Smart Bulb or Smart Plug. You can connect these devices by scanning a QR code on the device without compromising the security of your connection.
Earlier this month, the Wi-Fi Alliance launched Wi-Fi Certified Enhanced Open, a protocol that protects users from password-free public Wi-Fi networks such as parks, airports and other public areas. The protocol encrypts the communication between the access point and individual users using unique keys, making it more difficult to spy on passive Internet traffic.
Editor's Recommendations:
. Luma Surround WiFi Review
. HP Spectre x360 Review
. How to know if someone is stealing your Wi-Fi
In the future, WPA3 will be required for a device to be certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Currently, WPA2 is required.
However, the transition will be a process that will take years as manufacturers introduce routers, access points, computers, smartphones, and other WPA3-compliant wireless devices.
WPA3 consumer devices use an algorithm called Simultaneous Peer Authentication that prevents hackers from accessing your Wi-Fi network by guessing your password multiple times. As with modern iPhones, several failed attempts will temporarily block new assumptions.
WPA3 is also compatible with forwarding security, which assigns its own encryption token to each authorized session. This means that anyone who has guessed a W-Fi network password can not see data transmissions from other devices on the network. There are also proprietary management frameworks, a feature that should prevent anyone from trying to free them from the Wi-Fi network with commands that should only come from your router.
MORE: Laptops with the Longest Battery Life
Two other new initiatives are not part of WPA3 but could be even more useful in the short term.
Wi-Fi Certified Easy Connect, also introduced yesterday, makes it easy to connect devices with a limited interface or no interface, such as Smart Bulb or Smart Plug. You can connect these devices by scanning a QR code on the device without compromising the security of your connection.
Earlier this month, the Wi-Fi Alliance launched Wi-Fi Certified Enhanced Open, a protocol that protects users from password-free public Wi-Fi networks such as parks, airports and other public areas. The protocol encrypts the communication between the access point and individual users using unique keys, making it more difficult to spy on passive Internet traffic.
Editor's Recommendations:
. Luma Surround WiFi Review
. HP Spectre x360 Review
. How to know if someone is stealing your Wi-Fi
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