<![CDATA[Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi?]]>Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi?

"W" did not stand for "WiFi" or "Wireless".
"E" did not stand for "Encryption".
"P" did not stand for "Protocol".

The acronym was actually "Wired Equivalent Privacy", which, given how badly broken it was, is hilarious.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/98e34c94-af8c-4775-ac51-56897f548935/anyone-remember-wep-the-original-encryption-scheme-for-wifiRSS for NodeSun, 18 Oct 2026 22:23:54 GMTMon, 12 Oct 2026 08:33:51 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:17 GMT]]>@ryanc

I 'member.

I did _not_ know the acronym's meaning however. That's fascinating.

WEP was what you used to demo brute-forcing to people who didn't know anything about security. It was _great_.

❤

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.xyz/users/401matthall/statuses/117429657780181637https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.xyz/users/401matthall/statuses/117429657780181637Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:13:09 GMT]]>@david_chisnall Indeed.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/ryanc/statuses/117429055590176118https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/ryanc/statuses/117429055590176118Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:13:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:17:20 GMT]]>@ryanc Well, wired privacy is nonexistent if people tap on the wires. It’s private because you don’t give people access to your home’s wiring. Same goes for WiFi: just don’t give people access to the space covered by your antenna.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tooting.ch/users/oscherler/statuses/117428128342486510https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tooting.ch/users/oscherler/statuses/117428128342486510Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:17:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:53:48 GMT]]>@ryanc WEP design philosophy:

we scrumbled the packets what more do you WANT from us

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://toot.now/users/tyzbit/statuses/01M4R2TARJNJNBV5PXNKQ5Z9GDhttps://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://toot.now/users/tyzbit/statuses/01M4R2TARJNJNBV5PXNKQ5Z9GDMon, 12 Oct 2026 12:53:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:30:07 GMT]]>@WiteWulf @ryanc Oi! I had my first job in tech as a support engineer for a WAP gateway, I'll have you know 😀 TBF it was of its time, given the capabilities of mobile phones in those days, but it did work OK...

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/mark_f_lynch/statuses/117427942695228229https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/mark_f_lynch/statuses/117427942695228229Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:30:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:26:05 GMT]]>@ryanc
We Enjoy Piracy?

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/raymaccarthy/statuses/117427926817309113https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/raymaccarthy/statuses/117427926817309113Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:26:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:02:00 GMT]]>@ryanc I always got it confused with WAP.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://ohai.social/users/resuna/statuses/117427832106781226https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://ohai.social/users/resuna/statuses/117427832106781226Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:02:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:01:52 GMT]]>@ryanc I think the hilarious part is how accurate it is - and that so many ppl somehow treat a wired network as trusted.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/dalias/statuses/117427831610669387https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/dalias/statuses/117427831610669387Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:01:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 11:36:22 GMT]]>@ryanc in the good 'ole days wired networks gave away all their secrets :~)

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/fcbsd/statuses/117427731335216008https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/fcbsd/statuses/117427731335216008Mon, 12 Oct 2026 11:36:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 11:28:54 GMT]]>@ryanc Given some of the newer tempest-style attacks, it might have been quite accurate naming.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/david_chisnall/statuses/117427701985575851https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/david_chisnall/statuses/117427701985575851Mon, 12 Oct 2026 11:28:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:59:38 GMT]]>@ryanc They should have called it ALWT: "At least we tried"

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/aris/statuses/117427586876445906https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/aris/statuses/117427586876445906Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:59:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:41:23 GMT]]>@ryanc see also: WAP (not wireless access point, or whatever Cardi B was referring to 😳)

It was also bloody useless 😀

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Application_Protocol

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://cyberplace.social/users/WiteWulf/statuses/117427515159484412https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://cyberplace.social/users/WiteWulf/statuses/117427515159484412Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:41:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:11:11 GMT]]>@ryanc or a reflection of our presumptions about the general security of unencrypted communication using wires.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.from.net/users/Qbitzerre/statuses/117427396365035454https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.from.net/users/Qbitzerre/statuses/117427396365035454Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:11:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:52:27 GMT]]>Correct. WEP meant: as secure as if someone had access to the physical wires you were using. i.e. not very. @ozzelot @ryanc

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/BenAveling/statuses/117427322686447058https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/BenAveling/statuses/117427322686447058Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:52:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:24:03 GMT]]>@ryanc well, it was equivalent, if you left your network cables lying in the parking lot.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tech.lgbt/users/grantpe/statuses/117427211050605790https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tech.lgbt/users/grantpe/statuses/117427211050605790Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:24:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:18:24 GMT]]>@ryanc
Given how wiretappable the hubs of the day were, perhaps the meaning held some truth.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/ozzelot/statuses/117427188797136781https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/ozzelot/statuses/117427188797136781Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:18:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:11:04 GMT]]>@ryanc

WELP

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/117427159983430759https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/117427159983430759Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:11:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:45:36 GMT]]>@ryanc no accident it's very close to 'welp'

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/tjbutt58/statuses/117427059857457081https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/tjbutt58/statuses/117427059857457081Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:45:36 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Anyone remember WEP, the original encryption scheme for WiFi? on Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:36:28 GMT]]>@ryanc Wet Ess Packets

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://furry.engineer/users/soatok/statuses/117427023910037308https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://furry.engineer/users/soatok/statuses/117427023910037308Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:36:28 GMT