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Wireless & Mobility · Intermediate

Shared Key Authentication

Legacy WEP-based 802.11 authentication using a challenge-response with the static WEP key.

Definition

Shared key authentication sends a cleartext challenge and receives it encrypted with WEP. Capturing both lets an attacker derive keystream, making it less secure than open system with WEP. It is deprecated.

Exam tip

Shared key authentication is weaker than open system because it exposes keystream.

Related terms