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Network Infrastructure Magazine | Monday, January 17, 2022
A network security key is not something that should be overlooked. At first, it may appear insignificant, yet the integrity of a virtual padlock may be the only thing protecting a company from a disastrous data breach.
Fremont, CA: As the current corporate landscape becomes increasingly digital, an increasing number of business owners and C-suite executives find pleasure in having a strong foundation in technology, particularly data protection. The network security key is simply another name for the password that unlocks the Wi-Fi or mobile hotspot. Although the broader term key is arguably more accurate, emerging biometric ways of allowing access to these networks are beginning to gain favor.
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Some most common types of network security keys are:
WIRED EQUIVALENT PRIVACY (WEP)
A WEP key is a 40-bit static encryption code that is combined with a 24-bit initialization vector (IV) and is intended to conceal communications between network users. These keys are represented by a mix of numerals and capital letters A-F. In rare situations, they can be as short as 10 characters or as long as 58. The biggest disadvantage of WEP keys is that they are insecure. Even inexperienced cyber criminals can frequently hack them in minutes, leaving a network insecure.
WI-FI PROTECTED ACCESS (WPA)
WPA is demonstrated by the password printed on the Wi-Fi router. Instead of relying on a static encryption algorithm to safeguard data, a WPA key is dynamic, which means it generates a new 128-bit key each time a packet of data is sent across the network. This temporal key integrity protocol (TKIP) makes it significantly more difficult to attack communications.
WI-FI PROTECTED ACCESS 2 (WPA2)
While WPA2 keys can also use TKIP, they're most known for being able to run the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm, which is as difficult to crack. This comes at a low cost; this form of key necessitates a lot more processing power and, as a result, more expensive hardware.
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