What does WEP stand for in the context of Wi-Fi security?

WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy, which is a security protocol designed to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) with a level of security and privacy comparable to what is usually expected of a wired LAN. It was one of the first security protocols developed for wireless networks and is aimed at preventing unauthorized access to wireless networks and ensuring data privacy while transmitting information over the airwaves.

WEP uses a mechanism involving a shared key for encryption, meaning that both the sender and receiver must possess a common secret key to encrypt and decrypt transmitted data. Although WEP was an initial step towards securing wireless communications, it has been largely deemed inadequate due to various vulnerabilities and weaknesses that have been discovered over time, leading to its replacement by stronger protocols such as WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and WPA2.

Understanding the meaning and significance of WEP in Wi-Fi security highlights the evolution of security protocols in response to growing threats in wireless networking environments.