What is the main improvement that WPA brings over WEP?

The main improvement that WPA brings over WEP is the introduction of TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) as a replacement for the outdated RC4 stream cipher used in WEP. TKIP enhances security by dynamically generating a new encryption key for each data packet, which significantly mitigates the vulnerabilities associated with static keys in WEP. This feature safeguards against attacks such as key reuse, making it harder for unauthorized users to decrypt the data.

Moreover, TKIP incorporates various security features, such as message integrity checks to prevent certain types of attacks, further enhancing the overall security of wireless networks. While WPA does indeed support stronger encryption methods like AES, its foundational improvement over WEP lies in the use of TKIP to address and rectify the vulnerabilities that plagued WEP’s design. Consequently, the shift from RC4 to TKIP represents a critical enhancement in wireless security protocols.