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Atheros Wireless LAN Products Receive First
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) Certification
Enterprise-Class and
Consumer-Friendly Security with No Firmware Upgrades or Performance Degradation
NETWORLD+INTEROP, LAS VEGAS, April 29, 2003—Atheros
Communications, the leading developer of advanced wireless LAN technology, today
announced that its market-leading 802.11a/b/g access point and network adapter
reference designs were included in the industry’s first group of products to
receive Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) certification. WPA is a Wi-Fi Alliance
specification for standards-based enhancements that increase encryption and
authentication security for wireless LAN systems. Atheros’ reference designs
have been selected for the test bed for the Wi-Fi Alliance’s WPA certification
program.
A strong wireless LAN security solution includes
both user authentication to limit network access and strong encryption
techniques to keep wireless data private. The WPA specification incorporates
802.1x authentication to keep unauthorized users off the wireless network, and
encrypts data with either the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) or
optionally, with the more robust Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). TKIP is an
interim encryption upgrade that patches the flaws in the Wired Equivalent
Privacy (WEP) encryption protocol that initially shipped with legacy 802.11b
products. AES is the encryption algorithm for enhanced security networks
specified by the upcoming IEEE 802.11i wireless LAN security standard, and was
selected by the international cryptographic community because it is resistant to
all known cryptanalysis techniques. Legacy 802.11b products cannot be upgraded
to AES because they do not have the CPU horsepower to support its more
sophisticated algorithms.
Atheros’ WPA architecture includes
hardware-based AES and TKIP encryption as well as software-based 802.1x
authentication. Competing firmware-based encryption relies on low-end
microprocessors that cannot keep up with sophisticated encryption algorithms,
thereby slowing down wireless traffic on a network. The Atheros hardware
encryption engines provide WPA security with no performance degradation, even
with throughput up to 100Mbps (see Atheros’ press release titled, “Atheros
Delivers 90 Mbps TCP/IP Throughput in High Performance 802.11a/g and 802.11g
Wireless LANs”).
Atheros’ existing customers can get
WPA-certified security via a simple software driver upgrade. In contrast, many
wireless LAN chipset providers who make claims about “software” upgrades
actually rely on embedded firmware requiring the use of special applications for
reprogramming the device’s flash memory. Performing flash memory updates can be
a complex and time-intensive process that, just as with modem upgrades in the
past, can potentially render a device inoperable if not performed correctly.
“Most customers won’t sacrifice performance for
security if they don’t have to, and generally don’t have the experience or time
to re-flash firmware,” said Aaron Vance, industry analyst with Synergy Research
Group. “Atheros’ Wi-Fi certified WPA implementation fixes the gaping holes
associated with WEP and secures wireless networks against hackers—without
sacrificing performance or requiring a risky flash upgrade.”
Added Craig Barratt, president and chief
executive officer of Atheros, “WPA addresses the needs of both enterprise IT
managers and home users who want strong encryption and authentication. As a
result of ‘war driving’ incidents and the flood of stories associated with WEP’s
vulnerabilities, wireless LAN environments are perceived as the ‘Wild West’ of
networking. Atheros’ WPA solution enables enterprises and consumers to feel
confident that wireless LAN products based on our technology will provide
maximum security.”
With the addition of WPA, Atheros adds to its
comprehensive wireless LAN security offering which also includes the “Cisco
Compatible” program, draft IEEE 802.11i, and Virtual Private Networks for
securing remote access from home offices and public hot spots. Atheros’ advanced
security solutions are now available in retail products, embedded in notebook
PCs, and as part of enterprise class infrastructure solutions.
Visit Atheros at N+I
For more information about
Atheros’ WPA solution, please visit www.atheros.com or stop by the Atheros booth
#6761 at the NetWorld+Interop Conference, April 29-May 1 at the Las Vegas
Convention Center.
About Atheros Communications,
Inc.
Atheros Communications is
the leading developer of networking technologies for secure, high-performance
wireless local area networks. As the industry innovator and market-share leader
in multi-mode wireless solutions compliant with the IEEE 802.11 specifications,
Atheros is driving transparent connections among electronic devices in the
office, home and on the road. Atheros technology is being used by many of the
world's leading wireless equipment manufacturers including Accton, Actiontec,
Acrowave Systems, AIRAYA, AirVast Technology, ALPS, Ambit, Askey, ASUS, BenQ,
Contec, CyberTAN, Dacom, Delta Networks, D-Link, Gemtek, Gigabyte Technology,
Global Sun Tech, HP, IBM, ICOM, Intel, Intermec, I-O Data, Linksys, NEC,
NETGEAR, Philips, Proxim, Samsung, Senao, SMC Networks, Sony, Symbol, TDK, TECOM,
Toshiba, USI, W2 Networks, Wistron NeWeb, Z-Com and others. For more
information, visit
www.atheros.com or send email to
info@atheros.com.
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Atheros
and the Atheros logo are registered trademarks of Atheros Communications, Inc.
All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their
respective owners.
Cheryl Patstone, 408-773-5344, cheryl@atheros.com
or Greg Wood, A&R Partners, 650-762-2838, gwood@arpartners.com.
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