Opportunistic Wireless Encryption
E453437
Opportunistic Wireless Encryption is a security mechanism that provides unauthenticated encryption for open wireless networks to protect data from passive eavesdropping without requiring user credentials.
Statements (48)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
network security protocol feature
ⓘ
wireless security mechanism ⓘ |
| abbreviation | OWE ⓘ |
| alternativeTo | unencrypted open Wi‑Fi ⓘ |
| backwardsCompatibleWith | legacy open networks at association level ⓘ |
| benefit |
encrypts traffic without user interaction
ⓘ
maintains open network usability ⓘ prevents casual packet sniffing ⓘ |
| category |
Wi‑Fi security
ⓘ
network encryption ⓘ |
| compatibleWith | Wi‑Fi Enhanced Open certification ⓘ |
| definedInStandard | IEEE 802.11 NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| deploymentModel | open network with per‑station encryption ⓘ |
| doesNotProtectAgainst |
active man‑in‑the‑middle attacks
ⓘ
evil twin access points ⓘ rogue access points ⓘ |
| doesNotProvide |
authentication of access point
ⓘ
authentication of client ⓘ |
| doesNotRequire |
802.1X authentication
ⓘ
password entry by user ⓘ |
| encryptionType | link‑layer encryption ⓘ |
| improvesSecurityComparedTo | traditional open Wi‑Fi networks without encryption ⓘ |
| introducedIn | IEEE 802.11 standard amendment 802.11ax era ⓘ |
| marketedAs | Wi‑Fi Enhanced Open ⓘ |
| operatesAtLayer | data link layer ⓘ |
| protects | unicast traffic between client and access point ⓘ |
| provides |
encryption for open wireless networks
ⓘ
unauthenticated encryption ⓘ |
| relatedTo |
Simultaneous Authentication of Equals
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
WPA3 NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| requires |
no enterprise authentication server
ⓘ
no pre‑shared key ⓘ no user credentials ⓘ |
| requiresSupportOn |
Wi‑Fi access point
ⓘ
Wi‑Fi client device ⓘ |
| securityGoal | protect data from passive eavesdropping ⓘ |
| specifiedBy | Wi‑Fi Alliance NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| standardizedBy | Wi‑Fi Alliance Enhanced Open program NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| standardStatus | optional feature for Wi‑Fi devices ⓘ |
| targetEnvironment |
guest Wi‑Fi networks
ⓘ
open SSIDs in cafes and airports ⓘ public Wi‑Fi hotspots ⓘ |
| threatModel | passive eavesdropper on wireless medium ⓘ |
| uses |
Diffie–Hellman key exchange
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
individual data encryption per client ⓘ public key cryptography ⓘ |
| usesCipherSuite | AES‑based encryption ⓘ |
| usesKeyEstablishment | Simultaneous Authentication of Equals without authentication ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.