Prompt: Is the reason why the WPA3 standard used on Wi-Fi uses Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) is because of this “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”?
No, the reason why the WPA3 standard uses Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) for Wi-Fi is not directly related to the quote “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” from George Orwell’s novel “Animal Farm.” The WPA3 standard, including SAE, was developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance, an industry consortium that sets standards for Wi-Fi technology.
Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) is a key exchange protocol designed to provide stronger security against offline dictionary attacks compared to its predecessor, the Pre-Shared Key (PSK) used in WPA2. It addresses vulnerabilities in the WPA2 protocol and provides enhanced protection for Wi-Fi networks.
The quote you mentioned is a satirical reference from Orwell’s novel, which criticizes the concept of equality and highlights the hypocrisy and corruption of those in power. It is not directly connected to the technical design choices behind the WPA3 standard or the use of SAE in Wi-Fi security.
Prompt: But why does we need to authenticate “equals” if there are already equal? It implies that some are more equal than others.
In the context of Wi-Fi security, the term “equals” in Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) refers to the peers involved in the authentication process, such as a client device (e.g., a smartphone) and an access point (e.g., a router). The term does not imply that some devices or individuals are more equal than others.
The use of the term “equals” in SAE emphasizes that both the client and the access point mutually authenticate each other during the authentication process. It ensures that both parties are verified and trusted before establishing a secure connection. This helps prevent unauthorized access and protects against attacks such as man-in-the-middle attacks.
The term “equals” in SAE signifies the importance of symmetric authentication, where both parties are treated equally in terms of authentication and key exchange. It does not imply any form of superiority or inequality between devices or individuals using Wi-Fi.