Abstract
The paper documents the authentication mechanisms in a wireless network like Open system, shared key, WPA, 802.1x etc. The detailed functionality analysis of the mechanisms are researched and documented. A comparative study of WEP and WPA along with the weaknesses are identified. Security vulnerabilities with WEP and how it is mitigated with 802.11i is understood. Flavors of WPA like WPA – Personal and WPA- Enterprise is documented. WPA and TKIP key derivation
Abstract
In this paper the authentication mechanism in a wlan communication is analyzed. The different types of scanning which wlan clients use to detect wireless access points like active and passive scanning and the different states in a wlan communication is documented. Generic authentication methods, open and shared key on a WLAN environment is researched and explained with diagrams. The vulnerabilities which exist on these authentication methods is researched and analyzed.