CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

What does WEP stand for in the context of wireless security?

1. Wireless Encryption Protocol

2. Wired Equivalent Privacy

3. Wireless Equivalent Protection

4. Wired Encryption Protocol

The correct answer is: Wired Equivalent Privacy

In the context of wireless security, WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy. This term refers to a security protocol designed to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) with a level of security and privacy comparable to what is usually expected of a wired LAN. WEP was one of the first security protocols developed for wireless networks, introduced to protect wireless communications from unauthorized access and eavesdropping, thereby making wireless networks more secure. The emphasis on achieving "equivalent privacy" to wired networks is particularly important, as data in wireless transmissions can be intercepted with relative ease compared to its wired counterpart. While WEP was a significant advancement at its introduction, it is now recognized for its vulnerabilities and has been largely replaced by more secure protocols such as WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and WPA2.