The Wi-Fi Alliance has announced the introduction of new security features for its family of Wi-Fi Certified technologies. The industry body is launching configuration, authentication and encryption enhancements across its portfolio to ensure Wi-Fi Certified devices continue to implement state-of-the-art security protections, the group said in a statement.
Advanced Wi-Fi applications will rely on WPA2 security with Protected Management Frames, broadly adopted in the current generation of Wi-Fi Certified devices, to maintain the resiliency of mission-critical networks.
However, following recent reports about the ‘Krack’ security oversight in the WPA2 specification that left devices vulnerable, the industry body announced that four new capabilities for personal and enterprise Wi-Fi networks will emerge in 2018 as part of Wi-Fi Certified WPA3. Two of the features will deliver robust protections even when users choose passwords that fall short of typical complexity recommendations, and will simplify the process of configuring security for devices that have limited or no display interface.
Another feature will strengthen user privacy in open networks through individualised data encryption. Finally, a 192-bit security suite, aligned with the Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite from the Committee on National Security Systems, is designed to further protect Wi-Fi networks with higher security requirements such as government, defence and industrial.
