EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) v12Wireless Network HackingMedium
A network architect is designing a wireless network for a critical infrastructure facility. The primary requirement is to ensure the integrity and authenticity of management frames to prevent denial-of-service attacks like deauthentication floods. Which IEEE 802.11 amendment specifically addresses this requirement by providing protection for management frames?
- A802.11ac
- B802.11i
- C802.11ax
- D802.11w
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. 802.11w
IEEE 802.11w, also known as Protected Management Frames (PMF), is an amendment that provides mechanisms to protect management frames from spoofing and tampering, thereby mitigating attacks like deauthentication and disassociation floods.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) focuses on higher throughput in the 5 GHz band, not management frame protection.
- B. 802.11i (WPA2) focuses on data encryption and authentication, but initially lacked robust management frame protection.
- C. 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) focuses on efficiency and capacity in dense environments, building upon existing security features.
802.11w (PMF)
IEEE 802.11w, or Protected Management Frames (PMF), is a standard that enhances wireless network security by protecting management frames from tampering and spoofing.
- Protects deauthentication, disassociation, and other management frames.
- Mitigates denial-of-service attacks against wireless networks.
- Mandatory in WPA3 for enhanced security.
Memory trick: 802.11w shields management frames from malicious hands.