Development of WPA3-focused, Hands-on Lab Exercises at the Undergraduate Level

Emil H Salib

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: Computing and Information Technology Division (CIT) Technical Session 2
Tagged Division: Computing and Information Technology Division (CIT)
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47187

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Paper Authors

biography

Emil H Salib James Madison University

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Professor in the College of Integrated Science & Engineering (CISE) at James Madison University (JMU).
Current Teaching - Networking & Security, Introductory Programming and Cross Platform Mobile Application Development.
Current Research - Private Cloud Computing

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Abstract

The emergence of WPA3, a groundbreaking innovation in Wi-Fi security, presents both an opportunity and a challenge within the realm of wireless networking. The pressing need to upgrade wireless networking and security curriculum in undergraduate IT programs is a priority. Equipping students with the latest knowledge in wireless networking and security is of utmost importance to us, particularly considering the vulnerabilities that have tainted its predecessor, WPA2. The first major challenge facing the educators in teaching WPA3 is the lack of cost-effective clients and Access Points (APs). For example, they may have to invest a significant amount of money to acquire brand new devices since the vendors refused to provide simple and cost effective solution of upgrading their existing APs and clients. The second major challenge, and more critical, is that WPA3 security mode uses complex cryptographic algorithms. In teaching these algorithms, the educators is required to have access to information and data exchanged between the WPA3 clients and APs. This data is not accessible using the native vendor AP firmware even for the brand new and expensive devices. Therefore, alternative firmware solution is a must to allow the educators to develop practical WPA3 lab exercises that enable the students to gain solid understating of WPA3. The third major challenge is to find the hardware that can accept 3rd party alternate firmware that meet the needs described briefly in the second major challenge.

In response to these challenges, we have embarked on a practical implementation of WPA3 platform in the context of wireless networking and security education. In this paper, we describe the lessons learnt in the implementation of such an environment. Its objective is to enable educators to built hands-on lab exercises on WPA3 as well as comparing it with WPA2. The focus of this paper is to demonstrate that the custom WPA3 platform can enable an educator to create WPA3 lab instructions. These instructions should match the students skills and slightly above for new skills. For example they should be successfully able to set up the environment and perform the instructions and collect results for an entirely new topic, such as, WPA3. Below are the detail of our implementation and experimentation revolving around the creation of a custom solution that employs Raspberry Pi-based wireless access points (mainly for portability) and wireless clients as well as flashing alternate firmware such as OpenWrt onto inexpensive APs. These components have been customized and equipped to support not only WPA3 Personal but also the robust WPA3 Enterprise standard mode and the enhanced 192-bit higher security mode.

Citation
Format

Salib, E. H. (2024, June), Development of WPA3-focused, Hands-on Lab Exercises at the Undergraduate Level Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47187

TY - CPAPER
AB - The emergence of WPA3, a groundbreaking innovation in Wi-Fi security, presents both an opportunity and a challenge within the realm of wireless networking. The pressing need to upgrade wireless networking and security curriculum in undergraduate IT programs is a priority. Equipping students with the latest knowledge in wireless networking and security is of utmost importance to us, particularly considering the vulnerabilities that have tainted its predecessor, WPA2. The first major challenge facing the educators in teaching WPA3 is the lack of cost-effective clients and Access Points (APs). For example, they may have to invest a significant amount of money to acquire brand new devices since the vendors refused to provide simple and cost effective solution of upgrading their existing APs and clients. The second major challenge, and more critical, is that WPA3 security mode uses complex cryptographic algorithms. In teaching these algorithms, the educators is required to have access to information and data exchanged between the WPA3 clients and APs. This data is not accessible using the native vendor AP firmware even for the brand new and expensive devices. Therefore, alternative firmware solution is a must to allow the educators to develop practical WPA3 lab exercises that enable the students to gain solid understating of WPA3. The third major challenge is to find the hardware that can accept 3rd party alternate firmware that meet the needs described briefly in the second major challenge.

In response to these challenges, we have embarked on a practical implementation of WPA3 platform in the context of wireless networking and security education. In this paper, we describe the lessons learnt in the implementation of such an environment. Its objective is to enable educators to built hands-on lab exercises on WPA3 as well as comparing it with WPA2. The focus of this paper is to demonstrate that the custom WPA3 platform can enable an educator to create WPA3 lab instructions. These instructions should match the students skills and slightly above for new skills. For example they should be successfully able to set up the environment and perform the instructions and collect results for an entirely new topic, such as, WPA3. Below are the detail of our implementation and experimentation revolving around the creation of a custom solution that employs Raspberry Pi-based wireless access points (mainly for portability) and wireless clients as well as flashing alternate firmware such as OpenWrt onto inexpensive APs. These components have been customized and equipped to support not only WPA3 Personal but also the robust WPA3 Enterprise standard mode and the enhanced 192-bit higher security mode.
AU - Emil H Salib
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Development of WPA3-focused, Hands-on Lab Exercises at the Undergraduate Level
UR - https://peer.asee.org/47187
ER -