If the static WEP key is compromised, a whole new can of worms has been opened because now all the data frames can be decrypted. Anyone who captures the cleartext challenge phrase and then captures the encrypted challenge phrase in the response frame could potentially derive the static WEP key. If Shared Key authentication is successful, the same static WEP key that was used during the Shared Key authentication process will also be used to encrypt the 802.11 data frames.Īlthough it might seem that Shared Key authentication is a more secure solution than Open System authentication, in reality Shared Key could be the bigger security risk. If the AP cannot decrypt the challenge, it will also respond negatively. If they do not match, the AP will respond negatively. If they match, the AP will respond by sending a fourth and final authentication frame the station, confirming the success. The AP then decrypts the station’s response and compares it to the challenge text.The client station then encrypts the cleartext challenge and sends it back to the AP in the body of another authentication request frame.The AP sends a cleartext challenge to the client station in an authentication response.The client station sends an authentication request to the AP.Shared Key authentication is a four-way authentication frame exchange: The authentication process is similar to Open System authentication but includes a challenge and response between the AP and client station. In addition to WEP being mandatory, authentication will not work if the static WEP keys do not match. Shared Key authentication uses WEP when authenticating client stations and requires that a static WEP key be configured on both the station and the AP. Shared Key authentication is simply not used anymore Because of its simplicity, Open System authentication is also used in conjunction with more advanced network security authentication methods such as PSK authentication and 802.1X/ EAP.Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security can be used with Open System authentication however, WEP is used only to encrypt the upper-layer information of data frames and only after the client station is 802.11 authenticated and associated.Open System authentication occurs with an exchange of frames between the client and the AP.

It is considered a null authentication because no exchange or verification of identity takes place between the devices.

It is essentially an exchange of hellos between the client and the AP.

Provides authentication without performing any type of client verification.

Think of these authentication methods as verification between the two devices that they are both valid 802.11 devices. These legacy authentication methods were not so much an authentication of user identity, but more of an authentication of capability.

Asus mac address authentication