(also Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
IEEE 802 is a family of standards for local area networks (LANs) and metropolitan area networks (MANs). These standards define the specifications for the PHY and DLL of the OSI model and cover various network technology, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
See also: authentication server, MAC address
Network access control. IEEE 802 offers a built-in access control system with an authentication mechanism for devices that want to attach to a LAN. Because it is complex for hackers to guess the authentication credentials, users will immediately receive an alert for a potential data breach if attackers enter incorrect credentials.
Layer 2 security protocol. The Medium Access Control Security (MACSec) offers point-to-point security on the links between nodes, maintaining data confidentiality and integrity.
Wi-Fi-protected access. The WPA protocol is a temporary one that replaces WEP to detect all WEP vulnerabilities that hackers might exploit to cause data leaks and theft. It also utilizes an encryption scheme and an authentication layer, preventing attackers from accessing users’ data.