Did you know that prior to this past January, the last big update to Wi-Fi occurred in 2004, when WPA2 was released? The Wi-Fi alliance has introduced a new type of wireless connection called WPA3--one that can dramatically improve security. In reality, it was created with the intention of shoring up weaknesses found as a result of the KRACK vulnerability, which exposed serious issues with WPA2 that needed to be addressed.

As is the case with WPA2, WPA3 offers what is called both Personal and Enterprise configurations. Both of these versions include ways to keep connections secure even if the user fails to use a complex password, while only the Enterprise version can boast having a 192-bit encrypted connection. WPA3 also takes full advantage of what’s called Simultaneous Authentication of Equals, which basically protects from password guessing algorithms that made the KRACK vulnerability such an issue in the first place. These brute force attacks no longer work against WPA3 connections.

Of course, just because something exists doesn’t mean that it’s being implemented yet. The initial certification for WPA3 has started, but devices certainly aren’t required to adhere to the standards as of yet. So, what can your business expect when WPA3 becomes mainstream enough to be found on devices? For starters, one of two things will happen: either manufacturers provide patches and updates to routers to allow for WPA3 connections on older devices, or they will create new devices that exclusively come with this functionality. Their choices will ultimately fuel your organization’s decision making regarding this new technology. The good news is that this new functionality doesn’t limit which devices can be connected to them, meaning that a WPA3 device can connect to a WPA2 device, and vice versa.

Using the most up-to-date network security connections is incredibly important, as new threats are discovered every day that can harm your organization in unforeseen ways. Let’s use the jump to WPA3 as an example. If you can prevent a data breach or network connection issue by upgrading to more recent hardware or software, shouldn’t it be worth investing in? We know that small businesses often have trouble affording the latest and greatest technology solutions, but this is something that we can help you with.

Thanks to services like hardware management and maintenance, we can help your organization ensure network security without letting your organization’s devices grow out-of-date. We can help you either upgrade your devices to the latest configurations or help you procure devices that can, all from the most reputable vendors out there. To learn more about how we can help your business stay secure, reach out to us at (415) 295-4898.