CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

What does WPA2/3-Personal security utilize?

1. A unique key for each device

2. A pre-shared key for all users

3. An authentication server for access control

4. A combination of MAC addresses for security

The correct answer is: A pre-shared key for all users

WPA2/3-Personal security is designed for smaller networks where users share access to a Wi-Fi network. It specifically utilizes a pre-shared key (PSK) for authentication, which is a secret passphrase that all users must enter to connect to the network. This key is used to generate session keys for encrypting the communication between devices, ensuring that they can securely transmit data over the network. This approach simplifies the connection process because users do not need to authenticate through a dedicated server or additional infrastructure. Instead, once the pre-shared key is entered into a device, that device can connect to the network. However, it's crucial that this key is kept secure and not shared publicly, as anyone with knowledge of the PSK can gain access to the network. In contrast to the other options, a unique key for each device is associated more with WPA2/3-Enterprise configurations, which involve an authentication server. An authentication server for access control is also part of the Enterprise setup rather than the Personal mode. Lastly, the use of MAC addresses for security does not inherently provide security but merely identifies devices on the network and can be spoofed, which does not contribute to the actual encryption or authentication utilized in WPA2/3-Personal