hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1202 Practice Question: A company's security policy mandates that all…
A company's security policy mandates that all wireless traffic must be encrypted using a protocol that is resistant to KRACK attacks. The current network uses WPA2-PSK with AES. Which of the following upgrades should be implemented to meet this requirement?
⚠ Common exam trap
The 220-1202 exam often tests the misconception that changing authentication methods (e.g., from PSK to 802.1X) fixes protocol-level vulnerabilities like KRACK, when in fact the underlying handshake protocol (WPA2) remains the same and still vulnerable.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Upgrade to WPA3-Personal.
WPA3-Personal replaces the Pre-Shared Key (PSK) handshake with Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE), which is resistant to offline dictionary attacks and the KRACK vulnerability that exploits the 4-way handshake in WPA2. Since the policy requires encryption resistant to KRACK attacks, upgrading to WPA3-Personal directly addresses this requirement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Change the encryption from AES to TKIP.
Why it's wrong here
Changing encryption from AES to TKIP would significantly weaken wireless security rather than improving it. TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) is an older, deprecated encryption standard that was designed as an interim solution for WPA and is known to have several cryptographic weaknesses. Furthermore, TKIP is explicitly vulnerable to key reinstallation attacks (KRACK), making this change counterproductive for addressing the specific threat.
- ✗
Enable WPA2-Enterprise with 802.1X.
Why it's wrong here
Enabling WPA2-Enterprise with 802.1X primarily enhances authentication by integrating with a RADIUS server for user or device validation. However, despite its robust authentication mechanism, WPA2-Enterprise still relies on the same vulnerable four-way handshake protocol as WPA2-Personal for key establishment. This fundamental reliance means it remains susceptible to KRACK attacks, as the vulnerability lies in the handshake process itself, not the authentication method.
- ✓
Upgrade to WPA3-Personal.
Why this is correct
Upgrading to WPA3-Personal is the correct solution because it introduces Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) as a robust replacement for the WPA2 four-way handshake. SAE provides stronger cryptographic assurances, including forward secrecy, which prevents an attacker from decrypting past traffic even if the session key is compromised. This new handshake design inherently prevents the key reinstallation attacks that KRACK exploits, thereby securing wireless traffic against this specific vulnerability.
- ✗
Implement MAC address filtering.
Why it's wrong here
Implementing MAC address filtering is an access control mechanism that attempts to restrict network access based on a device's unique hardware address. However, it offers no protection against encryption protocol vulnerabilities like KRACK, as it operates at a different layer of the network stack. MAC addresses can be easily spoofed by an attacker, rendering this method ineffective for preventing unauthorized access and completely irrelevant for securing the encryption handshake.
Quick reference
Symmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Size | Block Size | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES-128 | 128-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | NIST approved; WPA3, TLS |
| AES-256 | 256-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | Preferred for sensitive / govt data |
| 3DES | 112-bit effective | 64-bit | Deprecated (2023) | Replaced by AES |
| DES | 56-bit | 64-bit | Broken | Cracked in < 24 h; never deploy |
| ChaCha20 | 256-bit | Stream cipher | Current | TLS 1.3, WireGuard |
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.