IEEE Approves 802.11i

Posted by michael on Friday June 25, 2004 @07:49AM from the my-lock-my-key dept.

Dozix007 writes "IEEE has approved a new wireless security protocol dubbed 802.11i, intended to finally provide sufficient security for wireless connections that users don't need to rely on alternate security layers. The new specification works by using AES encryption in the transceiver itself, encrypting data directly at the level just above the actual radio pulses themselves. That makes it transparent for applications sending data through the radio, so legacy programs running on new 802.11i-compliant hardware will automatically get the benefits of the new protocol without the need for modification."

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It's about time... by Shoeler · 2004-06-25 07:54 · Score: 5, Interesting

Hopefully the approval of the standard will reel in the multiple competing vendor solutions that have been out there. From Cisco's LEAP to TKIP (Aka WEP2), most still would not encrypt things like the MAC address or ESSID. For companies who are actually security-minded and wouldn't deploy wireless without a truely secure standard, this should be their open door to some real mobility.

Now if only I can convince my employer so I can use Trillian to get me through those boring meetings. :)