The Wi-Fi Alliance has officially started certifying WPA3, the next-generation security standard for wireless networking devices (via Engadget). The new protocol addresses a number of potential vulnerabilities that exist in WPA2 for both personal and enterprise networking environments.
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Amongst the enhancements, WPA3-Personal includes a more robust password-based authentication system that reduces the chances of a hacker guessing your password, individualized data encryption to protect against Wi-Fi eavesdropping, and the ability to protect data traffic even if a password is compromised after the data was transmitted.
On the enterprise side, WPA3 also offers an optional mode using 192-bit minimum-strength security protocols, as well as cryptographic tools to better protect sensitive data.
WPA3 also includes new quick-setup options for smart home devices through Easy Connect, a smartphone-based feature for users to set up wireless devices that lack displays.
Support for WPA3 must be built into devices for the protocol to be enabled, so it won't start coming into general use for a while yet. The good news is that WPA3 will retain interoperability with WPA2 devices, so there won't be a need to update every device on the same network.
The Wi-Fi Alliance expects WPA3 certification to increase over the next year, and as adoption grows, the protocol should eventually become a market requirement for all Wi-Fi certified devices.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)And please school WiFi routers manufacturers about their default Admin / Admin :p
Good news
Actually, that's not the problem as I don't want to search for some random login if I want to reset and re-setup a wifi router.And please school WiFi routers manufacturers about their default Admin / Admin :p
What should be enforced are forcing the users to change the default admin password once the router is configured. Companies can simply add this steps in the set up process.
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Requiring hardware support. Naturally that’ll mean new dongles for Computers that will probably be practically brand new at ratification.
How is this making phones obsolete? It is backward compatible, so one can slowly migrate their hardware to the new standard.And obsoleting phones that are only months old.
New routers.
Granted it says it’ll permit older devices to connect. But if you want to use the new security protocol, there’s going to be a huge burst of e-waste.
They should work on a firmware update option.
Today, there are plenty of people still using simple 801.11g routers, and plenty of devices only support 2.4GHz wifi. 802.11ac doesn't automatically make those obsolete. Neither will WPA3.
And obsoleting phones that are only months old.
New routers.
Granted it says it’ll permit older devices to connect. But if you want to use the new security protocol, there’s going to be a huge burst of e-waste.
They should work on a firmware update option.
But moving these standards into the open would mean the WiFi alliance would lose their cash cow: any WiFi device has to pay them to be tested, and you can’t even sell a product without paying them to use the phrase ‘Wifi’!