The WiFi Alliance today launched WiFi Certified WPA3, its fully updated security protocol for WiFi.
The Alliance first announced WPA3 in January. Today marks the updated standard’s introduction to real-world products. There are two branches of WPA3, WPA3-Personal and WPA3-Enterprise each with its own distinct mode of operation. One core feature of WPA3 is stronger protection even when users choose weak passwords.
WPA3 simplifies the process of securing access points that don’t have a display or interface. The WiFi Alliance calls this WiFi Certified Easy Connect. The standard provides individualized data encryption to protect data as it moves from computers, tablets, and phones to access points.
WPA3 also includes a 192-bit security suite to help businesses and governments adopt the highest levels of protection. The WiFi Alliance says WPA2 devices will continue to operate as before and can interact with devices that have adopted the new standard.
Key Capabilities Of WPA3
- WPA3-Personal: more resilient, password-based authentication even when users choose passwords that fall short of typical complexity recommendations. WPA3 leverages Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE), a secure key establishment protocol between devices, to provide stronger protections for users against password guessing attempts by third parties.
- WPA3-Enterprise: offers the equivalent of 192-bit cryptographic strength, providing additional protections for networks transmitting sensitive data, such as government or finance. The 192-bit security suite ensures a consistent combination of cryptographic tools are deployed across WPA3 networks.
It’s unknown when Certified WPA3 devices will hit store shelves.
