Why Your Wi-Fi Is More Secure Without a

Password ?

Securing Wi-Fi networks through protocols like WEP, WPA, and WPA-2 with password protection

is standard practice. Both home networks and those used by corporatess in their offices rely on

user passwords to secure their Wi-Fi network and prevent unauthorized access.

However, passwords alone do not provide adequate security, as they can be easily

compromised. In fact, hacking a password-protected Wi-Fi doesn’t even require sophisticated

techniques or tools most of the time. Instead, hackers often use simple manipulative techniques

to obtain passwords from individuals who have access to it. Additionally, even if the password is

not hacked, someone to whom access was granted may willingly share it with another person,

allowing unauthorized individuals to connect to the network without the owner’s knowledge.

The biggest weakness of password-protected Wi-Fi is that it is only secure if people do not

know the password. Now for businesses, the security of their Wi-Fi network is critical. Unlike a

home network, a company’s Wi-Fi network contains sensitive information that, if compromised,

can pose significant security risks and negatively impact the business. Fortunately, there is a

more effective method of protecting Wi-Fi networks that do not rely on user passwords. This

technique is called Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and it allows for configuring a highly secure

Wi-Fi network where access is granted only to specific devices through digital certificates.

So how does PKI work? And what exactly are digital certificates?

Read on as we answer these questions and explain why protecting your company’s Wi-Fi

network with PKI is a lot more secure and beneficial than using user passwords.
What is Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and how does it
protect Wi-Fi networks?

Public Key Infrastructure is a security system for encrypting and decrypting networks. It can be

used to secure different types of digital communication systems, including web servers, user

devices, and of course, Wi-Fi networks as well. PKI uses asymmetric encryption, where two

types of keys are involved – a private key kept securely by the owner of the wireless network and

a public key given to users to whom access is granted.

When you secure your wireless network with PKI, you install digital certificates on the devices of

users to whom you want to access the network. This digital certificate serves as the public key

that lets them connect to your network.

So what exactly is a digital certificate? It’s a type of electronic document that validates the

identity of the user’s device. Or, in simpler words, it’s a certificate proving that the device trying

to connect to your network is the same one you have granted access to. That means when you

implement this infrastructure, only those devices where you have installed the digital certificates

can connect to your network.

Not only does this remove the hassle of user passwords, it also ensures that no other

unauthorised user can access your Wi-Fi unless the network owner authorises their device by

installing a digital certificate. This system is extremely efficient for businesses and

organizations because they can secure their networks, setting up the certificates in only the

office devices of their employees.

The benefits of device-based security certification with PKI

password-protected systems, such as:

Less Bandwidth Choking

Bandwidth choking is the slowing down of a network’s connectivity due to excessive bandwidth

usage.

With password-protected Wi-Fi, the system has to authenticate a device every time it connects

to the network. This authentication process uses up some of the network’s available bandwidth.

In busy networks, like those used in corporate offices, since multiple employees and staffs

connect to the network, authenticating each of their devices will consume a significant amount

of the network’s bandwidth, slowing down the connection.

However, with PKI, the digital certificate of a user’s device is only authenticated the first time by

the system. After this initial authentication, the system recognizes the certificate and allows it to

connect directly from there onwards. Since repeated authentication is not required with PKI, it

doesn’t consume additional bandwidth, so the connection is faster and smoother.

Saves time for admins to troubleshoot

As discussed in the previous point, since user devices do not require repeated authentication

with PKI, it reduces the possibility of login issues. Also, the digital certificate of every device

serves as its unique identification. So admins can track which devices are connected to the

network, which helps them troubleshoot and resolve security issues quickly and easily.

Highly secure compared to passwords

network. That means even an authorized user cannot connect to the Wi-Fi if they try with

another new device. There is no risks of passwords being compromised, or users willingly

sharing passwords with other people. Hackers and cyber attackers are helpless because social

engineering techniques and fraudulent manipulations will no longer be useful. The only risk is if

an authorized device is stolen, but even then, the network admins can easily disable the digital

certificate of that particular device in no time. PKI offers all-round protection and extremely tight

security for your Wi-Fi network.

Say goodbye to password changes

One common security advice we hear regarding Wi-Fi connections is changing the password

from time to time. But without a password protection system, you also don’t need to worry

about changing the password on a regular basis. With PKI, you can just set the system and the

digital certificates once, and then forget about having to change anything again.

Seamless roaming between access points

In case of large networks with multiple access points (APs) to increase the range, switching

from one AP to another with password-protected Wi-Fi can be a hassle. Users may also require

to enter the password again when they jump between APs. On the other hand, PKI facilitates

devices to switch to the nearest AP without interruptions in connectivity automatically. Users

can move around the premises with their device and won’t even notice when their device jumps

from one AP to another. So they can enjoy a smooth connection everywhere within the range of

the network.

Increased network efficiency and robustness

mean that the Wi-Fi connection will always be fast and smooth. Admins don’t need to spend

much time troubleshooting. And most importantly, the network becomes highly secure.

As a result, the network’s overall efficiency and robustness also increase significantly, especially

when compared to password-protected Wi-Fi networks.

The Bottom Line

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is changing the way companies and businesses secure their

wireless networks. And even among its many benefits, the most important factor is that of

security. Even tech giants like Twilio had their system hacked not too long ago. How? The

hackers used phishing attacks to trick employees into sharing their login credentials

This goes to show how vulnerable user password-based systems are and further highlights the

importance of switching to a device-based security certificate system. With PKI and the

application of digital certificates, you can effectively protect your company from such

vulnerabilities and security risks while enjoying faster, uninterrupted connectivity.

For more details on you can implement PKI within your infrastructure:

https://eilglobal.com.au/contact-us/