Wi-Fi security and availability are imperative for businesses in today’s digital landscape where online communication is the standard. Many organizations rely on passwords to authenticate user devices, but this method is no longer sufficient as cyber attacks can easily bypass passwords. This has led to a significant shift towards investing in PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) technology to fortify networks with certificate-based authentication.

The Importance of Certificate-Based Authentication

Passwords pose several vulnerabilities as they can be lost, stolen, forgotten, or shared, making any credential-based network susceptible to over-the-air credential theft. In contrast, certificates offer a more secure form of network authentication because they are encrypted and bound to specific devices. By implementing certificates, administrators can configure devices for 802.1x authentication, addressing a common issue as many industry providers lack native support for this method. QuanTrust PKI serves as the cornerstone for administrators to establish a certificate-based network.

The definition for a PKI varies between security professionals, but the general consensus is that a PKI is a handful of components that give everything an organization needs to issue, revoke and manage X.509 Digital Certificates. A PKI can be used with a variety of applications (Wi-Fi, VPN, Web Apps, E-Mail) to replace insecure credential-based authentication and securely encrypt the transmission of data.

How Does a PKI Work with Wi-Fi?

At a high level, a PKI works with Wi-Fi by replacing credential-based Wi-Fi authentication with certificate-based authentication. Rather than sending credentials over the air every time users need to authenticate to the network, they are used only once for certificate enrollment and never put at risk for credential theft again.

Wi-Fi authentication is also enhanced through the use of digital certificates because every network connection can be tied back to a user. One of the core functions of a QuanTrust PKI is to encrypt network communications between servers and clients, ensuring only approved users and servers are granted network access, which the easily and often shared credentials fail to do.

Enhanced Security with QuanTrust PKI

Using a PKI for Wi-Fi authentication requires using the 802.1x standard for network access. There are several protocols within the 802.1x standard. Certificates-based networks enjoy the most secure protocol of 802.1x authentication with EAP-TLS. 802.1x networks possess superior security measures because they have RADIUS servers. Radius servers are the bouncers of the network PKI system. Their purpose is to check a device’s client certificate, check the private key against the CA’s public key, credentials and determine if it belongs to an active user and grant it network access based on network policies in place.

Why Choose QuanTrust PKI for Secure Network and WiFi Access

At QuanTrust PKI, we understand the critical importance of securing corporate networks and WiFi access points. Our expertise in PKI technology, coupled with industry-leading solutions, enables us to deliver robust and scalable security solutions tailored to your organization’s needs.

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