Which Wi-Fi security algorithm was retired in 2002?

WEP, or Wired Equivalent Privacy, was the first security algorithm introduced for protecting Wi-Fi networks. It was officially retired in 2002 due to its inherent weaknesses in security. The main vulnerabilities of WEP included easily decipherable encryption keys and susceptibility to various types of attacks that could compromise the confidentiality and integrity of the data being transmitted over wireless networks.

Because of these significant security flaws, WEP was replaced by more secure standards such as WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and later WPA2, which offered stronger encryption methods and enhanced security protocols. WPA and WPA2 use techniques like TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), which provide much greater protection compared to WEP.

Understanding the retirement of WEP is crucial as it highlights the evolution of Wi-Fi security protocols in response to increasing cyber threats and the need for stronger protective measures in wireless communications.