The Wi-Fi Alliance unveiled new security specifications for 802.11b networks, replacing the easy-to-circumvent Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) that's now standard. . .
The Wi-Fi Alliance unveiled new security specifications for 802.11b networks, replacing the easy-to-circumvent Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) that's now standard.

The standards body said Thursday it plans to make the new technology, called Wireless Protected Access (WPA), optional in February and then mandatory about six months later. Most Wi-Fi products will be made WPA-compliant by upgrading software and firmware.

The new standards are an interim fix, while a rigorous new security standard called 802.11i is being worked out by a task group within the IEEE 802.11 working group, which is in charge of both IEEE 802.11b and 802.11a standards. However, 802.11i isn't expected to be ratified until Sept. 2003.

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