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Wireless & Mobility · Intermediate

Pairwise Master Key (PMK)

The top-level key in the RSN pairwise hierarchy, derived from the PSK, SAE, or 802.1X/EAP authentication.

Definition

In 802.1X, the PMK is derived from the MSK produced by EAP and sent by the RADIUS server to the authenticator. In PSK networks, it is derived from the passphrase and SSID. The PMK is never transmitted over the air; it seeds the PTK.

Exam tip

PMK caching and OKC reuse the PMK to speed roaming.

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