- Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) A security protocol and a current industry standard that is used to safeguard wireless networks. It improves upon its predecessor, WPA, by introducing a more secure encryption method known as the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and a robust integrity check known as CCMP (Counter Cipher Mode with Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol). These features ensure that network traffic is secure from unauthorized access, interception, and tampering.
- Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) A security protocol designed to secure wireless (Wi-Fi) networks. Introduced as an improvement over the previous Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), WPA provides robust security through encryption and user authentication. WPA2 and WPA3, the later versions of this protocol, utilize Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) technology and offer improved security features to protect network traffic from eavesdropping and other forms of attacks.
- Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) A security feature that simplifies the process of setting up a wireless network and connecting devices to it. Used in home and office networks to make it easier for users to connect their devices. Examples include a WPS button on a router or a WPS PIN on a device.
- Wi-Fi War Droning An activity where a drone equipped with a Wi-Fi scanner or hacker toolkit is used to identify and potentially exploit vulnerabilities in wireless networks. The mobility and compactness of drones enable them to reach locations that might be difficult for a human to access, allowing a wide or targeted search for unsecured or weakly secured networks. This activity can be used either for malicious intent or for legitimate purposes like security audits and penetration testing.
- Wi-Fi Zones (Coverage Areas) The delineated areas within the range of a wireless network where devices can connect and communicate over Wi-Fi. Networks often overlap multiple zones, enabling seamless connectivity as users move around. Each zone corresponds to the signal range of a Wireless Access Point (WAP).
- Windows Registry A database of system settings and configurations in the Microsoft Windows operating system. It is used to store information such as software installation paths, user preferences, and hardware settings. Examples of registry keys include the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER keys.
- Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) A Microsoft tool that allows administrators to manage and distribute updates released through Microsoft Update to computers in a corporate environment. It provides a centralized and automated method of deploying critical updates, ensuring that all systems within an organization are consistently protected against known issues and vulnerabilities and their software environment remains secure and up-to-date.
- Wine A compatibility layer capable of running Windows applications on several POSIX-compliant operating systems, such as Linux, macOS, & BSD. It duplicates functions of Windows by providing alternative implementations of the DLLs that Windows programs call and a process to substitute for the Windows NT kernel. This provides a way for users of non-Windows systems to utilize software that is traditionally Windows-only, increasing interoperability and software availability.
- Wiping The process of securely deleting data from a storage device to prevent it from being recovered. Used in data disposal and data destruction to protect against data breaches. Examples include overwriting data with zeros or using a data eraser.
- Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) An early security protocol designed for wireless networks. Introduced in 1997 as part of the original 802.11 wireless standard, it was intended to provide confidentiality comparable to that of a traditional wired network. However, WEP was found to have significant security vulnerabilities that made it relatively easy for attackers to decrypt network traffic. As a result, it has been largely replaced by more secure protocols, such as WPA and WPA2.
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