In the beginning of
May Microsoft released an update to Windows XP to support WPA2. Word says
Microsoft kind of crippled the update by not fully supporting the WPA2 standard
as set by the IEEE. Well the story is a little bit different than it looks at
first site.
May Microsoft released an update to Windows XP to support WPA2. Word says
Microsoft kind of crippled the update by not fully supporting the WPA2 standard
as set by the IEEE. Well the story is a little bit different than it looks at
first site.
Shortly after
signing off WPA2, IEEE made up it’s mind and extended the standard with
four new authentication protocols for 802.1x. Those protocols
(EAP-TTLS/MSCHAPv2, PEAPv0/EAP-MSCHAPv2, PEAPv1/EAP-GTC and EAP-SIM) have never
been in Windows before and are now new to WPA2 that just kept the same name
after adding the protocols. Microsoft only updated Windows XP to support
the first signed off WPA2 standard without support for the new EAP protocols,
but with support for EAP-TLS that already was in the product. My guess is
that adding those new authentication protocols was much more work then fixing up
the unfinished WPA2 support that was already in Windows XP.
signing off WPA2, IEEE made up it’s mind and extended the standard with
four new authentication protocols for 802.1x. Those protocols
(EAP-TTLS/MSCHAPv2, PEAPv0/EAP-MSCHAPv2, PEAPv1/EAP-GTC and EAP-SIM) have never
been in Windows before and are now new to WPA2 that just kept the same name
after adding the protocols. Microsoft only updated Windows XP to support
the first signed off WPA2 standard without support for the new EAP protocols,
but with support for EAP-TLS that already was in the product. My guess is
that adding those new authentication protocols was much more work then fixing up
the unfinished WPA2 support that was already in Windows XP.
I think it will take
a while before the new EAP protocols will enter Windows XP or we might even have
to wait for Longhorn.
a while before the new EAP protocols will enter Windows XP or we might even have
to wait for Longhorn.
The most important
new features in WPA2 support for Windows XP are:
new features in WPA2 support for Windows XP are:
- WPA2 Enterprise
using IEEE 802.1X authentication and WPA Personal using a PSK (preshared key).
- The AES using the
CCMP (Counter Mode-Cipher Block Chaining-Message Authentication Code Protocol)
that provides data confidentiality, data-origin authentication and data
integrity for wireless frames. - The optional use of
PMK (Pairwise Master Key) caching and opportunistic PMK caching, allowing
faster access when a wireless client roams back to a wireless access point to
which the client has already authenticated. - The optional use of
pre-authentication to allow a WPA2 wireless client to perform an 802.1X
authentication with other wireless access points in its range when it is still
connected to its current wireless access point.
More information can
be found at:
be found at:
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