Introduction - Cryptography and wireless security

This chapter covers how SSL/TLS uses cryptographic tools to secure data, and how the IEEE 802.11 standard provides a basis for a wireless security management framework

Chapter 5: Cryptography and wireless security

This chapter covers how SSL/TLS uses cryptographic tools (symmetric encryption, asymmetric encryption, and hashing) to secure data over the Internet, and how the IEEE 802.11 standard provides a basis for a wireless security management framework (client authentication, message privacy, and message integrity).

This chapter will help students:

  • Develop a foundational understanding of how cryptographic tools (symmetric encryption, asymmetric encryption, and hashing) secure Internet communications via SSL/TLS.

  • Understand how symmetric encryption (e.g., AES), asymmetric encryption (e.g., RSA), and hashing (e.g., SHA-256) secure data in transit.

  • Describe how digital certificates and asymmetric keys enable authentication and message signing.

  • Develop a practical understanding of RSA’s key generation, encryption, and signing capabilities.

  • Understand how the IEEE 802.11 standard provides a basis for a wireless security management framework (client authentication, message privacy, and message integrity).

  • Become familiar with key authentication methods and encryption and message integrity algorithms used in securing wireless networks.

  • Compare wireless security protocols (WPA/WPA2/WPA3) and their authentication and encryption methods.

Topics covered in this chapter

Hashing algorithms and message integrity

Cryptographic encryption and confidentiality

Message signing using asymmetric keys

Cryptographic authentication methods

The SSL/TLS handshake

How SSL/TLS uses cryptography

Replay attacks and anti-replay methods

Generating and applying an RSA key

Wireless client authentication methods

Wireless privacy and integrity methods

Authentication and encryption in WPA, WPA2, and WPA3

Last updated