The difference between WEP, WPA and WPA2

Differences between WEP, WPA and WPA2 - With wireless networks, or Wi-Fi, being the norm in most homes, has been the target for many hackers and key-loggers due to poor security networks. This is why WEP, WPA and WPA2 were created. So what do they do and what are their differences?

WEP
Also known as Wired Equivalent Privacy, WEP was part of the original 802.11 (Wireless Local Area Network) standard in 1997. This is a security algorithm intended to provide the same data confidentiality with a local wired network, hence its name. WEP uses RC4 (Rivest Cipher 4), a stream cipher algorithm intended to encrypt data.

It is the most commonly used security measure at a time, and it is the default security option presented by most routers in their configuration. WEP was even ratified as a Wi-Fi security standard in 1999. In 2004, however, WEP was eventually abandoned due to various security flaws. This includes limiting only 64-bit encryption (lifting) and crack-free passwords.

WPA
Also known as Wi-Fi Protected Access, WPA is a security protocol and security certification program that should be the answer to WEP's major weaknesses discovered by researchers. It became available in 2003, just a year before WEP was terminated.

The word to be the answer to the major vulnerabilities of WEP standards, WPA includes the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) to increase the cryptographic strength of RC4, and also includes the integrity of the checking message to determine whether packets across the network have been changed. Despite all the improvements, public demonstrations still show that WPA is vulnerable to intrusion.

Although it is said to be better than the previous security protocol (WEP), WPA is only medium size while waiting for secure and more complex wireless network security, the WPA2.

WPA2
Also known as Wi-Fi Protected Access 2, WPA2 is also a security protocol and replacement intended for WPA. Certification began in September 2004. Unlike in WEP and WPA, AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) algorithm is implemented. In addition, CCMP (Counter Cipher Mode with Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol Block) was also introduced as a replacement for TKIP (still available on WPA2 as a fallback).

With significant changes, cyber attacks are easier to deflect since an attacker needs to be inside a Wi-Fi network to access other devices in the network. This means it's as secure as it could be, especially for home networking.

Like WPA, unfortunately, WPA2 vulnerability is via Protected Setup Wi-Fi (WPS). While it takes at least 2 to 14 hours for an attacker to get into your network system, not to mention the hard work put into it, there are still major security concerns. One way to counter this vulnerability will be to disable your WPS.

WEP vs WPA vs WPA2
The difference between WEP, WPA and WPA2
What is the difference between WEP, WPA and WPA2?
To understand these differences, we must know how network security works. It starts when you send or receive data from end to end over Wi-Fi. The transmitted data will then be converted into radio signals. You should understand that these signals can be easily captured with common gadgets, and unless the data is encrypted, it can be read by anyone who eavesdropped on your network. This is where WEP, WPA and WPA2 come. They encrypt your data to hide or protect from bugs.

Now start with the security strength of each one, there is no doubt that WPA2 is the most secure. Regardless of WEP's ability to encrypt data, the first character of the output is not random. This means that if you get enough packets from the transmission, you can easily find the WEP key. WPA does seem to be more secure, but because it's just a short-term solution, more weakness is exposed, so WPA2 is developed.

Depending on your actions using security, you may not get the full potential of your local network data transfer rate. In a performance test conducted by Tony Fortunato, a senior network performance specialist, WEP's maximum transfer rate is four times lower than that of WPA2-AES.
Like WEP, WPA reduces the processing power of network devices. Additionally, depending on your router, performance may slow down by 30 percent or more when activating WEP or WPA. WPA2 is more secure than the other two and much more efficient in terms of performance.
In short, WPA2 is the superior security protocol for WPA, which in turn is superior WEP security - not only in securing your data but also with the speed of data transfer. Note, however: depending on your hardware, WPA2 can also reduce performance if it is obsolete.